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T ■'^-^ 

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■    ^ 

THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 


GIFT  OF 

Lewis  F.   Langfeld 


A 

CONTAINING  THE  AUTHOR'S 

MENUMCIATION  OF  Ui^IVEISSAlilSM, 

EXPLAINED  AND  ENLARGED  ; 

THE  NOTICES  AND  ASPERSIONS  OF 

ANSV/ERED  AND  repelled; 

ARGUME?JTS  AND  PRINCIPIiES  OF  UNIVERSALISTS, 

EXAMINED  AND  EXPLODED,  AND 
REI.I«ION   AND   REVELATION   VINDICATED, 

AGAINST 

SS.EFTICISM  AN©  Ij^FIDEI^ITY. 


BY  LEWIS  C.  TODD. 


"  As  we  have  received  mercy  we  faint  not,  biitliave  renounced 
the  hidden  things  of  dishonesty,  not  walking  in  craftiness,  nor  hand- 
ling the  word  of  God  deceitfully  ;  but  by  manifestation  of  the  truth, 
commending  ourselves  unto  every  iiui's  conscience  in  the  sight 
of  God."  H.  Corinthians  iv.  1,2. 


PUBLISHED  BY  O-  SPAFFORD, 

ERIE,  PA. 

.   PRINTED  BY  JOSEPH  M.  STEHRETT. 

18  sir 


JVESTERN  DISTRICT  OF  PENXSYLVAXIA,  totcit  : 

Be  it  rkmemberkd,  that  on  the  thirtieth  day  of  January,  Anno 

Domini,  1834,  OLIVER  SPAFFORD,  of  the  said  District,  hath 

deposited  in  this  Otiice  the  title  of  a  Book,  the  title  of  which  is  in 

the  words  following,  to  wit : 

"A  Defence,  containing  1st.  The  author's  renunciation  of  Uni- 
versalism,  explained  and  enlarged ;  '2d.  The  notices  and  asper- 
sions of  Ujiiversalist  Editors,  answered  and  repelled  ;  3d.  The 
fundamental  arguments  and  principles  of  Universalists,  examined 
and  exploded,  and  4th.  Religion  and  revelation  vindicated,  against 
skepticism  and  infidelity.  By  Lewis  C  Todd.  As  we  have  re- 
ceived mercy  we  faint  not,  hut  have  renounced  the  hidden  things 
of  dishonesty,  not  walking  in  craitiness,  nor  handling  the  word  of 
God  deceitfully ;  but  by  manifestation  of  the  truth,  commending 
ourselves  to  every  man's  conscience  in  the  sight  of  God." — IL 
Cor.  IV.  1—2. 

The  right  whereof  ho  claims  as  Proprietor,  in  conformity  with 
an  act  of  Congress,  entitled  "  An  act  to  amend  the  several  acts  res- 
^o.H„„  — '•  v;.K.,  ••  E.  J.  ROBERTS, 

(Itrknffhe  Western  District  of  Pennsfflranin. 


**  A:  thirty,  man  suspects  Iiimself  a  fool, 

Knows  it  at  forty,  ami  reforms  his  plan." — Young. 

Good  reader,  in  Chapter  I.  of  this  book,  you  will  find  a 
"Renunciation  of  Universalism,"  made  in  the  spring  of 
1833;  with  some  notes  now  appended,  in  consequence  of 
the  attacks  of  universalists.  Upon  reflection  and  obser- 
vation, I  became  convinced  that  there  are  some  people  so 
good  that  they  need  no  peiial  restraints  ;  but  that  there  are 
many  others  so  bad  that  nothing  but  fear  of  ymal  suffer- 
ings will  restrain  them  ;  and  indeed  some  too  bad  to  be 
restrained  by  anything.  Such  I  learned  to  be  the  melan- 
choly but  true  picture  of  human  nature.  And  as  such  I 
became  satisfied,  that  universalism  possessed  not  enough 
o(  terrour  io  restrain  the  corrupt  j^art  of  mankind  from  crime. 
True,  the  terrours  of  hell,  or  gehenna,  have  not  restrained 
all  the  wicked  ;  but  they  have  co-operated  much  with  hu- 
man laws  to  secure  the  peace  of  society.  With  these  views, 
I  reviewed  the  question  in  the  light  of  scripture;  and  be- 
came convinced,  that  universalism  is  not  the  doctrine  of 
Christ  and  the  apostles.  Hence  I  conceived  it  my  duty  to 
renounce  that  doctrine.  But  liaving  strong  feelings  of  af- 
fection toward  many  universalists,  1  concluded  to  do  it  in 
language  of  kindness.  And  as  I  was  heartily  tired  of  theo- 
logical controversy,  I  tried  to  avoid  any  appearance  of  hos- 
tile intentions  toward  them  ;  and  admitted  much  in  favour 
of  their  morality,  while  1  said  not  a  irord  or  syllable,  in  the 
Renunciation,  against  the  morality  of  any  of  them.  Yet  1 
suggested,  that  the  doctrine  did  not  operate  as  a  restraint 
on  the  vicious  so  as  to  reform  them.  This  I  had  fondly 
hoped  would  render  any  personal  attack  from  them  unne- 
cessary. But  very  soon  universalist  papers  began  their  at- 
tacks upon  wCiimd  iny  motives,  from  the  banks  of  (he  Mis- 
sissippi to  the  coasts  of  Maine  I  But  these  men  had  al- 
ways re|)resented  themselves,  as  distinguished  from  all 
other  sects  in  the  world,  as  a  non-])ersecuting,  charitable, 
benevolent,  peaceable  people;  of  course  they  must  have 
an  excuse  for  disregarding  the  solemn  f/wi/ts  of  the  Re- 
nunciation ;  and  waging  a  personal  war  with  its  author. — 
Tliey  therefore  accused  me  of  jiersecuting  them — of  slan- 
dering them — of  calling  them  all  immoral,  &c. !  Had  they 
attacked  only  the  positions  of  the  Renunciation,  instead  of 
me,  this  book  would  never  have  beeu  written.  I  intended 
to  have  nothing  farther  to  do  with  universalism  ;  but  found 

AA  ^-i.. 


IV  PHEFACK. 

not  only  editors,  &c.  but  many  iinprincipletl  men  offended 
with  me  !  And  all  those  who  have  personally  al)used  me, 
and  who  seem  to  be  so  enraged  at  me  for  giving  my  honest 
opinion  on  a  general  subject,  were  persons  of  no  moral 
character,  except  the  editors  and  preachers.  I  do  not  recol- 
lect that  I  have  been  abused  or  blamed  for  my  opinion,  by 
a  single  man  of  moral  habits,  except  these  writers.  This 
makes  me  think,  that  I  am  not  so  much  to  blame  for  think- 
ing, txs  they  suppose.  I  regret  that  men  will /fg-/f7  for 
opinion.  What  are  opinions  ?  They  have  neither /orwi, 
figure,  visibility,  solidity,  colour,  nor  gravity  !  Yet  they 
have  been  the  pretext  for  alienating  friends,  whelming  na- 
tions in  blood,  and  involving  millions  in  ruin.  Editors 
might  have  quarrelled  about  opinions  till  they  were  grey 
for  all  me;  but  their  aspersions  against  me,  I  confess  did 
not  tend  to  convince  me  that  universalism  made  men  char- 
itable ;  ihey  were  considered  uncalled  for,  unjust,  and  cruel. 
And  as  far  as  I  am  acquainted,  every  honourable  and  can- 
did universalist  is  of  the  same  opinion.  Being  thus  accu- 
sed and  condemned,  I  tliought  it  proper  to  give  my  assail- 
ants 21  few  gentle  touches  of  the  pen.  Ifl  have  touched 
them  harder  in  my  personal  defence  against  their  personal 
attacks,  in  Chapter  IT.  than  was  necessary,  it  was  not  in- 
tended. It  is  true,  that  I  sometimes  found  it  diflicult,  to 
restrain  the  pen  in  repelling  their  personal  abuse  ;  and  I 
held  it  back  with  all  my  might,  sometimes,  lest  it  should 
.scratch  them  too  much.  I  disclaim  all  intention  to  injure 
them  G5  men,  or  to  impeach,  in  the  leart,  their  individual 
and  private  characters.  For  if  I  cannot  sustain  my  own 
opinions  without  becoming  the  assassin  of  private  charac- 
ter, I  had  rather  they  would  go  unsustained.  I  found  it 
necessary  to  remark  upon  the  conduct  of  many  professors 
of  the  doctrine  without  particularizing  individuals  ;  but 
they  are  in  the  midst  of  comujunity  :  and  those,  who  do  not 
know  that  I  speak  trnth  on  the  subject,  are  at  liberty  to 
think  me  mistaken. 

Chapter  III.  contains  a  small  part  of, .my  arguments 
against  the  doctrine.  It  is  only  a  sketch  of  proof.  To  go 
over  the  nhole  ground  of  t.  ontroversy  would  re(|uire  vol- 
umes. There  are  many  imperfections  in  it  of  a  literary  kind  ; 
and  many  ideas  are  so  briefly,  or  partially,  or  imperfectly 
expressed,  that  my  opponents  may  easily  find  meanings  that 
I  never  intended.  The  work  was  not  intended  as  a  display 
of  learning  or  talent.  It  is  perfectly  an  extemporaneous 
composition.  Commenced  in  October  last,  it  was  written 
in. about  three  months;  and  mostly  at  leisure  times,  be- 
tween circuit  appointments.  Indeed  much  of  it  was  never 
read  over  until  it  was  ia  type.     But  it  is  thought  to  be  in- 


t«lligible  and  sufficient  for  honest  inquirers.  That  it  will 
either  convince  or  confound  such,  as  "  convinced  against 
their  will,  are  of  the  same  opinion  still,"  I  have  not  the 
vanity  to  suppose.  I  think  it  cannot  be  fairly  controvert- 
ed in  its  general  and  leading  arguments. 

Having  succeeded  in  defending  myself  against  the  as- 
saults of  my  old  brethren  in  the  ministry,  whom  I  esteem- 
ed much,  I  now  forgive  their  unjust  aspersions;  and  feel 
perfectly  friendly  toward  them  all.  If  they  now  feel  dis- 
jjosed  to  bury  the  tomahawk  as  respects  individual  crimina- 
tion ;  and  do  the  best  they  can  with  my  arguments  on  gen- 
eral principles,  1  think  there  will  be  no  occasion  to  reply. 
But  if  they  say,  "  our  voice  is  still  for  war,"  and  "  gird  on 
the  sword"  of  personal  wrath,  I  shall  be  governed  by  cir- 
cumstances. Though  I  stand  alone,  like  David,  surround- 
ed v/ith  ahostof  Goliahs — no — I  wilinotsay  whatlshall  do. 

After  all  that  had  been  said  by  men,  who  knew  not,  and 
could  not  judge  my  motives,  I  should  not  have  attempted 
a  defence,  had  not  their  aspersions  been  echoed  over  by 
the  unprincipled  part  of  society,  who  love  mischief.  Such 
a  worthless  and  miserable  brotherhood,  (unfortunately  for 
honourable  universalists,)  cling  to  their  cause,  echo  their 
sayings,  fight  their  battles,  and  blight  their  system  with  an 
incurable  curse.  Such  characters  hieiv  certain  that  1 
could  make  no  defence;  that  1  could  not  adduce  a  single 
passage  of  Scripture ;  and  dare  not  contradict  the  sayings 
of  their  leaders,  if  they  were  ever  so  false,  on  account  of 
their  unbounded  talent  to  make  out  what  they  wish  right 
or  wrong  ! 

I  never  loved  publick  life.  But  friends  urged,  and  I 
yielded.  My  object  has  always  been  to  do  good.  Most  of 
my  publick  labours  have  doubtless  been  useful ;  as  they 
had  no  necessary  connexion  with  the  question,  whether  all 
will  certainly  be  saved  or  not.  And  when  I  found  by  ac- 
tual experiment,  that  universalism  could  not  be  success- 
fully used  to  persuade  people  to  be  good,  I  thought  it  con- 
sistent to  abandon  it.  I  always  professed  to  be  fallible  ;  al- 
ways said  I  did  not  know  that  all  would  be  saved  ;  always 
said  I  would  renounce  the  doctrine,  should  I  ever  be  con- 
vinced it  was  errour.  If  my  converts  have  followed  ray  ad- 
vicbf  and  lead  good  lives,  they  will  do  well  enough  ;  if  not, 
it  is  their  own  fault.  Is  it  such  an  unheard  of  thing,  that 
one  should  change  his  opinion  on  one  point,  that  it  must 
be  wafted  over  half  the  Avorld,  and  arouse  the  sleepless  ven- 
geance of  all  the  professors  of  exclusive  charity  ?  Must  1 
be  proclaimed  over  the  globe  as  a  liar,  a  hypocrite,  an  im- 
postor, an  atheist,  &c.  for  changing  my  views  on  one  ques- 
*i(Mi  '     Have  not  my  persecutors  changed  their  opinions  of 


me  by  their  own  confessions?  Why  may  not  my  o«'n 
opinions  change  as  well  as  theirs  ? 

My  ideas  in  this  book  are  original,  as  I  have  never  read 
much  against  universahsm.  How  far  my  views  now  accord 
with  those  of  any  body  of  people,  I  scarcely  know,  having 
never  read  their  systems  much  ;  but  I  have  given  my  own 
views  ;  and  no  body  is  responsible  for  the  ideas  but  myself. 
On  the  other  Hand,  I  am  responsible  for  no  opinions  but 
such  as  1  voluntarily  lay  before  the  publick.  Let  no  man 
accuse  me  of  holding  doctrines,  or  saying  things  that  I  have 
never  written. 

ChapterJV.  was  written  and  published  by  the  author  in 
the  latter  part  of  the  "  Genius  of  Liberty."  I  have  given  it 
here,  because  many  conceived  it  capable  of  doing  much 
good,  as  it  is  a  clear  and  brief  vindication  of  revealed  reli- 
gion ;  though  about  one-third  of  it  as  originally  publish- 
ed, is  now  omitted  for  want  of  room.  The  Renunciation 
has  already  produced  much  effect  in  the  region  where  it 
appeared.  And  this  book  tvill  do  much  in  improving 
universalists,  while  it  will  convince  many  that  their  doc- 
trine is  but  a  pleasing  vision,  unsupported  by  reason  and 
Scripture,  and  never  to  be  realized.  And  when  the  au- 
thor shall  sleep,  cold  and  unconscious  in  the  silent  grave, 
where  the  storms  of  sectarian  malice  will  fall  in  vain,  he 
believes  this  book  will  be  doing  good — that  it  will  be  some 
instrumental  in  restraining;  the  young,  the  giddy,  and  the 
paj^sionate,  from  vice  and  ruin — will  sometimes  shake  a 
criminal  purpose — sometimes  palsy  the  daring  hand  ere  it 
strike  a  fatal  blow  ;  and  blast  the  embryos  of  blood  and  hor- 
rour,  ere  they  yvrhig  the  soul  with  unavailing  anguish.-^ 
Lord  grant  it. 

Erie,  Pa.  Feb.  17, 1834. 


CHAPTERI.  Page. 

Reiiuiiciation  of  uiiiversalism,  with  notes,  9 

CHAPTER  II. 

Notices  and  aspersions  of  univefsalist  editors  and  preachers,  ex- 
amined  and  repelled. 

I.  Notice  of  the  RdMunciatioii  in  the  "  Mag.  &  Advocate,"  of. 

Utica,  by  the  Jnn.  Editor,  25 

Ix.  Remarks  on  the  "  gathering  of  the  men  of  war,"  and  Mr. 

Stacy's  report,  29 

III.  Review  of  the  Renunciation,  by  Rev.  D.  Skinner,  Edi- 
tor of  Mag.  &  Advocate,  Utica,  37 

IV.  Rev.  S.R.  Smith's  "opinion,"  considered,  73 

V.  Additional  remarks  and  facts  bearing  oti  the  Renunciation,     88 

CHAPTER  HI. 

Tlie  fundamental  arguments  and  principles  ofuniccrsalists,  cf 
amined  and  exploded. 

SECTION  I. 

Inlroductorv  i-emariis  on  the  belief  of  universaiism,  99 

.SECTION  II. 

Some  of  the  fundamental  reasons  of  uuiversalism,  examined,     108 

SECTION  111. 

Au  examination  of  the  Old  Testament  ibr  nniversalism,  127 

SECTION  IV. 

Passages  in  the  New  Testament  supposed  to  teach  univcrvsai- 
ism,  considered,  139 

SECTION  V. 

The  punishment  of  ein,  not  in  this  life,  187 

SECTION  VI. 

Future  retribution,  proved  by  implication,  from  the  Scrip- 
tures, 19G 

SECTION  vn. 

Passages  of  Scripture,  in  which  gehenna.  rendered  liell>  oc- 
curs, considered,  218 

SECTION   VIIl. 

The  rich  man  and  Lazarus,  considered,  234 


LO  AT  EM'S. 


SECTION  IX. 


The  duration  ofl'iilurc  misery,  and  the  Groek  adjective,  Aiu- 
nion,  considered,  245 


SECTIO.f  X. 


Several  classes  of  Scriptures,  which  indubitably  prove  univer- 
sal doctrine  untrue,  considered,  258 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Rdigion  ami  Revelation  vimlicated,  against  Skepticism  and 
Infidelity. 

I.  On  the  existence  of  God,  274 

II.  A  belief  in  God  essential  to  morality  279 

III.  The  subject  of  a  revelation,  considered,  292 

IV.  The  necessity  of  a  divine  revelation,  considered,  299 

V.  The  origin  of  Christianity,  true  unless  Jesus  was  an  im- 
postor, 3]1 

VI.  Proofs  of  Christianity  from  the  immediate  disciples  of 
Christ,  'MS 

Vil.  Did  Jesus  rise  from  the  dead?  325 

VIII.  Evidence  drawn  from  prophecy,  332 

L\.  Inspiration  of  the  Scriptures,     '  341 


RENUNCIATION    OF    UNIVEIISALISM. 

Havin'g  become  sufficiently  eatnblislied  in  my  doubts  of 
the  truth  and  utility  of  the  universalian  doctrine,  as  a  sys- 
tem, I  now  think  it  my  duty  to  lay  my  dissent  belbie  the 
publicU. 

That  this  important  change  in  my  sentiments  and  feef- 
ings  may  be  tiie  better  understood,  I  shall  give  a  partial  or 
brief  history  of  the  operations  of  my  mind.  Passing  over 
the  reflections  of  early  life,  suffice  it  to  say,  that  I  became 
a  preacher  of  universal  salvation  ;  and  was  ordained  as  such 
in  Fairfield,  Herlumer  co.  N.  Y.  about  eight  years  ago.* 
I  believed  the  doctrine  true,  and  though%  that  in  propor- 
tion as  it  was  propagated,  mankind  would  become  good  and 
happy.  I  preached  in  different  p;^rts  far  and  near ;  and 
itinerated  over  an  extensive  region  of  coiintry,  suffering  the 
excesses  of  heat  and  cold,  and  the  pitiless  peltings  of  stor- 
my skies,  and  muddy  roads.  No  danger  or  eflbrt  did  I  con- 
sider too  great  that  was  possible;  for  I  beiiev.e,  for  a  num- 
ber of  years,  I  should  often  have  rejoiced  in  the  martyr's 
privilege  of  attesting  my  faith.  Some  years  since,  how- 
ever, I  occasionally  reflected   that,   although  the  doctrine 

*  The  nniversalist  paper  of  New-York,  as  well  as  Rev.  S.  R. 
8mith,  luiiversnlist  preacher  of  Clinton,  (N.  Y.)  interpret  this  to 
mean,  that  I  commencpd  preachivg  only  eight  years  ago,  when  in 
fact,  I  commenced  preaching  in  the  very  rei^ion  where  the  Rennn- 
ciation  was  made,  more  than  twelve  years  ago.  For  year?,  I 
preached  universal  salvation,  without  asking  for  any  ecclesiastical 
connexion  with  universalists;  but  my  meaning  was  as  I  said  in 
the  Renunciation,  that  I  became  a  preacher  of  the  doctrine  ;  (hut 
I  conceived  it  of  no  importance  tcJien)  and  was  orrl a iv c d  ns  nuch 
about  eight  years  ago.  Mr.  Smith  was  at  the  ordination  ;  and  I 
should  have  supposed  he  might  have  utiderstood  uie  as  I  aa'xc].  or- 
dained, and  not  cainmenccd  preaching.  The  little  hungry  Fish, 
which  tried  to  nibble  something  from  the  Renunciation  at  James- 
town, hximediately  after  its  appearance,  did  not  so  much  as  Z/n'c  at 
that  point,  although  it  knew  that  I  had  preached  in  that  place  more 
than  twelve  years  ago. 


!<'  RKNUNClATlON 

had  spread  iiiiicli  fsister  than  I  liad  anlicipated,  it  did  not 
seem  to  produce  the  eiFects  I  had  expected.  Tliis  gradu- 
ally cooled  my  ardour  and  diminished  my  zeal,  so  that  for 
some  years  I  cared  but  little  whether  I  preached  or  not. 
In  this  state  of  mind,  believing  universalism  to  be  the  true 
sense  of  the  Bible  when  rightly  construed  ;  and  being  una- 
ble to  see  any  considerable  good  resulting  Irom  the  system, 
I  was  much  inclined  to  doubt  divine  revelation.*  I  could 
not  go  entirely  into  infidelity,  nor  feel  much  confidence  in 
revelation.  At  length  1  heard  of  the  bewitching  fiiscina- 
tions  of  the  infidelity  of  New-York;  and  read  most  of  the 
eloquent  effusions  of  that  woman,  who  prostituted  the 
splendid  gifts,  which  heaven  gave  to  honour  and  adorn  her 
sex,  to  the  execrable  business  of  sapping  the  foundations  of 
social  oi-der,  and  overturning  the  fair  fabrick  of  female  hon- 
our and  happiness,  and  pouring  corruption  deep  and  bound- 
less over  all  the  sacred  demarcations  that  distinguish  man- 
kind from  brutes. 

Atjirsf,  my  mind  was  awfully  contaminated  with  her 
sweeping  and  ruinous  principles.  But  upon  more  deliber- 
ate reflection,  I  saw  the  vortex  into  which  such  principles 
must  inevitably  draw  mankind.  I  saw  it  would  be  in  the 
moral  world  like  putting  out  the  suu  and  moon  and  every 
star  in  the  natural,  barely  because  men  had  eyes  of  their 
own  to  see  with.  Such  was  my  state  of  mind  two  years  ago. 
I  saw  the  necessity  of  religion,   but  still  had    only  a  cold, 


*  Editors.  A:c.  thou(;lit  they  had  a  ^reat  advantage  of  me,  because 
I  was  honest  enough  to  own,  that  1  had  been,  at  times,  inclined  to 
doubt  divine  revelation.  Such  indintU'wn  to  doubt  was  not  wil- 
lingly cherished  and  entertained  Non-  ifthe  editors  will  risk  tlieir 
reputation  with  their  brethren,  and  their  interest  with  their  sub- 
scribers, by  declaring,  tipun  their  honour,  that  they  were  never  in- 
clined to  doubt  divine  revelation  in  the  common  acceptation  of  the 
])hrasc;  and  ifthey  will  take  as  much  pains  in  their  papers,  and 
devote  as  much  room,  to  expose  the  faults  of  infidels,  to  impeach 
their  motives,  vilify  and  burlesque  dieir  actions,  &c.  as  they  have 
these  of  professed  friends  of  Christianity,  lor  one  year,  I  shalldoubt 
not  "  the  evident  change  iu  the  moral  complexion  of  their  paper  ;" 
but  more  than  three-fourths  of  their  subscribers  would  discontinue  ! 


OF  UMVKUSALlSM,  H 

dark,  and  inofTicient  faith  in  any.  At  times  J  wasextveine- 
ly  unhappy,  so  much  so  as  ahnost  to  wish  for  death.*  Tlie^ 
conversion  of  Dr.  Btednian,  of  Mayville,  has  been  a  subject 
with  me  of  much  reflection.     I  knew  his  former  business 


*  Univcrsalist  editors  htive  attempted  to  prove  from  this  para- 
graph, that  I  was  «n  atheist  for  two  years  or  more  previous  to  my 
Renunciation.  They  wish  to  make  this  out,  because  they  have 
always  pretended  that  no  universalist  ever  changed  his  views.  Al- 
thongli  hundreds  who  were  once  considered  universalists — who 
professed  to  be,  and  were  as  much  so  to  all  appearailte  as  any 
body,  have  been  known  to  renounce  the  scheme,  yet  it  is  at  once 
declared  that  they  never  were  nniversahsts.  There  can  be  no 
doubt,  if  Hozea  Eallou,  the  yery  father  of  modern  universalism, 
were  to  renounce  !iis  sentiments  on  this  point,  the  whole  phahmx 
of  universafist  editors  would  malie  it  out  clearly  that  he  never  was 
a  universalist.  Many  there  are,  who  have  been  heard  to  say  "  Mr. 
Todd  is  the  best  nniversahst  preacher  I  ever  heard.  He  proves 
his  doctrine  by  such  clear  and  convincing  arguments.  He  does 
not  blackguard  so  nuich  as  some  of  them.  And  he  preaches  so 
much  practice  as  well  as  doctrine,  that  nobody  can  find  any  fault 
with  many  of  his  discourses."  And  now  the  same  persons  have 
been  heard  to  say,  "  JMr.  Todd  never  was  a  real  universalist.  He 
never  understood  the  doctrine.  I  always  knew  he  was  dishonest, 
though  1  used  to  stand  up  for  him,"  &c.  Others  say,  "  he  was  so 
destitute  of  the  true  principles  of  univer.salism,  it  is  no  wonder  his 
writings  and  preaching  should  do  no  good."  The  same  pei-sons 
say  again,  "his  writings  stand  as  a  bulwark  around  universalism 
which  he  can  never  overthrow."  Dr.  Danforth  of  Laona,  wrote 
me  thus,  *•  the  universalists  of  this  county  have  long  flattered  them- 
selves, that  they  had  one,  who  was  able  to  defend  their  cause  agamst 
all  opposition !  But  now  hov/  fallen !  How  has  the  mighty 
fallen !"  &c.  It  is  a  great  pity  any  body  should  fall ;  but  from  the 
account  universalists  give  of  themselves,  I  should  think  them  the 
last  people  in  the  world  to  trample  upon  one  because  he  had  been 
so  unfortunate  as  to  fall.  Many  other  wild,  contradictory,  and  ab- 
surd things  have  been  said;  and  all  in  consequence  of  one  man's 
opniiou  on  one  question  !  I  had  no  idea  before  of  the  vast  impor- 
tance that  could  be  attached  to  my  ideas !  I  find  my  words  are 
watched;  and  my  most  trifling  expressions — even  some  that  I 
never  make,  are  reported  to  universalist  editors  for  publication. — 
Nay,  if  I  happen  to  spit,  it  is  published !     (See  note  page  74.) 

I  did  not  say  i!i  the  Renunciation  that  I  had  been  an  atheist.  The 
infidels  of  New-York  were  atheists  or  nearly  so ;  but  the  question 
whether  there  bo  a  God  was  not  the  principal  question  discussed 
in  their  writings.  They  generally  wrote  on  political  and  philo- 
sophical principles;  and  their  discussions  were  such  as  tended  to 
draw  the  mind  from  the  religion  of  the  Bible — to  weaken  our 
faith,  and  embitter  our  feelings  toward  the  teachers  of  piety.  So 
far,  "my  mind  was  contaminated  with  her  ruinous  principles," 
but  I  never  got  so  far  as  to  be  an  atheist.  One  would  suppose,  by 
^heir  being  so  sure  tliat  I  was  an  atheist,  that  they  considered  athe- 


rZ  RE-NL^CMTION 

was  vei'y  lucrative,  and  I  persuaded  myself  tfint  be  had  be- 
coim  exterually  religious  for  the  sake  of  still  increasing 
his  pecuniary  business.  For  he  was  such  a  strong  and^ 
euiightened  infidel  that  I  was  persuaded  nothing  but  God 
could  really  convert  him  to  Christianity,  and  I  doubted 
whether  God  would  interpose  for  any  such  purpose.  But 
last  summer  when  I  found  that  same  man  had  abandoned 
all  his  lucrative  business,  and  gone  into  the  world  to  preaph 
— that  he  had  left  wealth  and  affluence  rnd  all  eart^jy 
comforts  behind  him — v/hen  I  reflected  that'' he  had  been 
'avaricious  and  worldly  and  skeptical  as  any  other  mau: 
and  that  he  was  now  liberal  and  kind,  and  his  whole  soul 
novi^  devoted  to  religion,  and  was  even  villing  to  be  a  meth- 
odist ;  ail  this  satisfied  me  that  he  was  indeed  converted  by 
the  invisible  agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  This,  together 
with  some  other  things  not  necessary  to  be  named,  made 
some  peculiarly  serious  impressions  upon  my  mind.  I  be- 
gan to  look  with  renewed  and  deeper  attention  upon  the 
system  of  universalism  as  I  professed  it.  I  had  seen  it 
rise  and  spread  in  all  directions.  At  firstlknew  of  only  two 
or  three  advocates  of  the  system,  now  there  were  hundreds. 
Thousands  were  becoming  its  friends,  and  I  thought  it  in- 
dicated an  ultimate  triumph  over  all  other  systems.  So 
its  friends  generally  seem  to  believe. 

This  often  induced  rae  to  look  forward  to  future  genera- 
tions, and  contemplate  them  and  their  condition  as  though 
ihey  were  to  be  my  children.  Something  would  seem  to 
ask,  "  what  will  be  their  social,  moral,  and  religious  state? 
Are  the«  effects  of  the  doctrine  7iow  (so  far  as  they  are  visi- 
ble to  observation  from  the  multitude  that  profess  it)  such 
as  to  promise  any   substantial  and  lasting  good  to  future 

idui  a  common  failing  inihe  fraternity.  Be  that  as  it  may,  I  never 
was  an  atheist,  and  never  professed  to  be  ;  and  do  not  recollect 
that  I  ever  had  adoubtof  i!)8  existence  of  a  Supreme  Being  in  my 
life.  Theoreticalatheism  I  consider  proof  of  mental  aberration.  I 
tiiiak  it  the  result  of  an  intense  efFort  to  comprehend  what  is  incom- 
prehensible. 


OF  UNIVKRSALISM.  IS 

a.fres,  when  it  comes  to  be  ultimately  universal?  Are  men 
more  apt  to  be  honest,  benevolent,  social,  kind,  humble, 
tolerant,  and  pious,  in  consequence  of  being  converted  to 
uiiiversalism?  Are  such  abandoned  and  black-hearted, 
wretches,  as  love  to  trample  in  scorn  upon  every  thing  sa- 
cred, made  to  tremble  and  stand  abashed  by  this  doctrine  ? 
Are  the  wicked  reformed  or  restrained  by  its  powerful  in- 
fluence?" Such  like  questions  often  crowded  upo.n  my 
mind  with  such  atfecting  and  overwhelming  energy,  that 
I  iQoked  around  with  deep  solicitude  to  see  its  good  effects. 
1  began  earnestly  to  review  the  course  generally  pursued 
by  universalists,  with  a  view  to  judge  of  the  common  eflects 
of  the  doctrine.  I  ardently  desired  to  see  the  boasted  good, 
which  I  and  others  had  ascribed  to  it.  But  the  more  1 
looked  the  more  I  must  confess  I  discovered  a  moral  waste.* 

*^'  Moral  waste  here  might  seem  to  convey  a  different  idea  from 
that  intended.  My  meaning  (as  may  be  seen  from  other  parts  of 
tlie  Renunciation,)  was  not  that  universalists  were  immoral;  but 
that  however  moral  they  might  be,  I  had  no  evidence  that  univer- 
saiism  made  them  so.  Men  migfit  be  moral,  and  yet  believe  the 
moon  to  be  a  great  cheese !  But  that  would  not  pi-ovethe  doctrine, 
that  the  moon  is  a  great  cheese,  tends  to  promotQ  morality.  The 
plain  sense  of  the  words  is,  that  I  could  see  no  moral  good  ichatcver 
in  the  effects  of  the  doctrine;  though  I  might  find  many  good  peo- 
ple who  believed  it.  Is  it  not  known,  that  men  may  be  moral,  al- 
though they  believe  many  things  that  have  no  moral  eflect  on  them 
wliatever?  I  have  known  many  moral  men  become  universalists 
and  continue  moral.  And  I  have  known  many  very  immoral  per- 
sons, who  had  no  principles  or  religion,  who  had  neglected  the  sub- 
ject, till  their  attention  became  aroused  to  universalism.  They 
have  believed,  but  not  reformed  I  When  persons  of  good  morality 
continue  so  after  embracing  universalism,  it  is  reasonable  to  con- 
clude, that  habit  or  other  things  produce  the  good  effect.  But  let 
universalism  be  preached  to  vicious  and  imraoral  persons  in  all  the 
forms  that  it  admits  of— though  they  may  easily  be  mado  to  believe 
it,  their  habits  will  not  alter  in  consequence  of  being  convinced.— 
I  never  did  know  a  vicious  person  reformed  and  made  better  by  be- 
coming a  universalist.  And  from  good  authority,  I  shall  show  in 
this  book,  that  universalism  has  done  notnore  good  in  other  hands 
than  in  mine.  To  my  own  knowledge,  and  that  of  the  community, 
universalism,  in  places  where  "  our  venerable  Br.  Stacy"  has  la- 
boured for  two  or  three  years  past,  has  reformed  not  the  drinking, 
the  gambling,  the  profane  or  the  vicious,  in  the  least.  The  editors 
have  poured  out  their  vials  of"  charity"  upon  me  like  torrents  for 
persecuting  universalists,  calling  them  immoral,  &c.  in  the  Renun- 
ciation.   But  where  do  they  find  it?    I  challenge  the  whole  corps  of 

2 


1-i  ^    RE^•u^■CIATIO^' 

1  had  seen  the  blessed  inflaeDce  of  the  doclrine  spread  out 
often  on  paper,  but  I  could  not  see  them  any  where  else ! 
No — God  knows  I  am  honest  in  this  assertion.  I  do  not  feel 
to  abuse  the  denomination,  but  it  is  true,  that  I  could  not 
for  my  life  see  any  good  resuhing  to  society  from  the  stn- 
tiraent.  This  conviction  rolled  in  upon  my  mind  and  my 
feelings  with  tremendous  effect.  Alas — thought  I,  have  I 
been  spending  "my  labour  for  that  which  satisfieth  not!" 
Are  all  my  efforts  useless,  and  only  tending  to  make  looser 
the  restraints  of  religion  and  virtue?  I  recollected  of  de- 
livering a  discourse  in  this  place  a  year  ago  last  v»iuter,  pub- 
lished in  the  1st  volume  of  the  Genius  of  Liberty,  design- 
ed to  arouse  univcrsalists  to  something  like  a  religious 
course,  if  they  did  not  mean  indeed  to  identify  their  cause 
with  infidelity.  I  was  given  to  understand  that  they  want- 
ed no  such  preaching,  and  although  frequently  solicited  to 
preach  here  since,  my  answer  has  been  substantially,  that  1 
would  when.  I  was  satisfied  they  wanted  to  learn  how  to  be- 

uuiversalist  editors  to  find  a  single  word  against  the  morals  of  univer- 
salist?  in  the  Renunciation.  I  did  not,  at  the  time,  intend  to  take  any 
hostile  course  against  universalists ;  nor  did  I  intend  to  either 
preach  or  write  against  any  christian  sect.  I  intended  to  let  "  mad 
opinions"  take  care  of  themselves.  I  intended  to  judge  all  opinions 
by  their  practical  utility,  and  all  men  by  their  practical  goodness. 
To  promote  the  christian  virtues,  and  persuade  to  a  good  life  was 
my  grand  object;  and  I  had  found  nniversa'.ism  to  be  of  no  use  in 
such  a  work.  This  is  the  great  sin :  for  which  I  have  been  made  to 
feel  the  vengeance  of  the  *' only  non-persecuting  denomination." 
I  have  still  taught  that  all  the  good  will  be  saved.  But  the  editors 
are  not  satisfied  with  that.  It  is  not  liberal  enough.  They  wish 
to  have  it  di  niuctly  and  clearly  understood,  that  more  than  the  good, 
all  the  wickijd  too,  will  certainly  be  saved .'  They  think  the  wicked 
will  be  very  likely  to  reform  if  they  are  sure  they  will  be  saved  at 
all  events !  I  am  perfectly  v/iiling  the  vicious  should  have  the 
trouble  to  fear  the  damnation  of  hell,  or  else  take  the  trouble  to  re- 
form. JMost  all  the  universalists,  who  are  generally  considered  can- 
did and  virtuous  men,  (except  these  writers,)  so  far  as  I  have  con- 
Versed  with  them  on  the  subject,  acknowledge,  that  they  have  the 
best  evidence  that  the  natura  of  the  subject  admits  of,  that  the  belief 
that  all  will  be  saved  positively  and  unconditionally,  has  no  good 
effect  in  the  piety  and  morals  of  xuen.  They  admit  that  the  course 
pursued  toward  me,  by  a  class  of  men,  for  the  honest  expression  of 
my  views  on  that  subject,  b  full  proof  that  miiversalism  does  not 
make  men  tolerant. 


•  OF  U?flVER8ALlS3I.  i.t 

come  better.  But  with  these  iajpressious,  I  was  obHged 
stiii^to  be  a  universahst;  for  1  could  not  make  up  my  mind 
Cuiiy  to  be  an  infidel,  and  viewed  all  the  doctrines  of  the 
orthodox  almost  with  abhorrenceT  I  could  much  easier 
have  gone  into  infidelity  than  orthodoxy.  My'prejudices 
were  so  strong  against  the  orthodox  generally,  that  I  mis- 
apprehended many  oftheir  sentiments,  and  believed  them 
all  either  very  ignorant  or  unprinciple  .•!  hypocrites. 

V/iih  such  feelings,  1  concluded  one  Sunday  last  summer 
to  go  in  and  hear  Mr.  Giljet,  of  the  Presbyterian  church  in 
this  village.     My  object  principally  was  to  enable  myself  to 
expose  some  of  the  gross  inconsistencies  of  his  doctrine. — 
But  he  preached  on  practical   social  duties ;  I  was  highly 
pleased  and  edified  with  the   whole  discourse.     In   the  af- 
ternoon I  went  again,  and  discovered  as    1  thought   some 
errours,  but  in  consequence  of  the  happy  effect  of  his  first 
sermon,  1  could  not  feel  it  in  my  heart  to  find  any  fault  with 
him   before  the  publick  ;  fori    found  myself  beginning  to 
respect  his  feelings,  which  I  had  formerly  si}orted  wkh  in  a 
very  wanton  manner;  and  had  verily  thought  I  was  serving 
God  in  so  doing.     Soon  after  I  heard  him  again,  and  final- 
ly was  induced  to  hear  as  often  as  possible ;  for  the  more  I 
heard  the  more  satisfied  I  was  that  his  grand  object  was  not 
to  oppress  and  injure  human  society  as  Ihad  supposed,  but 
to  upbuild  practical    religion  and    morality,  and  thus  sub- 
serve the  best  interests  of  men,  as  well  as  to   promote  the 
declarative  glory  of  God.     Ihad  certainly   supposed   that 
presbyterian    clergymen   were  the  most  unprincipled  men 
iu  the  world,  though  from  their  superiour  literary    altain- 
nieuts,  I  did  not  hold  them  in  such  perfect  contempt  as   I 
did  the  methodist  clergy.     But  upon  becoming  acquainted 
with  the  above  individual,  I  .was  constrained   to    perceive 
that  I  had  been  blind  with  prejudice;  and  was  further  per- 
suaded by  degrees  that  his  preaching   and    gen%rai   views 
were  useful  to  the  community  around  hira. 

T.ast  v/^']ier  I  attended    the   protracted  meeting  in    this 


J6  RENU-NGIITIO--^ 

place,  to  see  if  indeed  tiicy  conducted  it  in  the  Indicroirs 
and  revolting  manuer  represented  by  their  op))onents. — 
Candour  demands  of  me  the  statement  that  I  heard  not  a 
single  sarcastiek  expression  or  unchristian  insinuation,  or 
any  thing  else,  more  than  serious  practical  preaching,  and 
impressive  appeals  to  sinners  to  come  to  Christ  and  live. — 
There  were  some  things  that  infidels  might  net  rpprove, 
and  that  abandoned  people  n)ight  condemn:  but  I  thinU 
there  was  nothing  that  any  christian  could  be  displeased 
with. 

About  this  time  it  began  to  be  talked  that  I  hiid  renoun- 
ced universalism.  I  had  not  done  it,  neither  had  1  deter- 
mined that  I  should.  I  was  dissatisfied  with  it,  as  being  not 
calculated  to  build  up  serious  and  devout  societies;  but  5 
dared  not  immediately  renounce  it,  through  fear  that  my 
objections  were  the  result  of  some  intellectual  hallucina- 
tion, or  temporary  prejudice,  or  hypochondrical  affection, 
and  might  finally  wear  off.  Being  thus  circumstanced,  I 
felt  it  improper  for  me  to  urge  upon  my  readers  a  belief  ia 
universal  salvation.  It  vvas  also  equally  improper  for  me 
to  urge  objections  to  the  theory  until  1  should  become  ful- 
ly established  either  against  or  for  it.  Therefore  I  took 
the  onl}'  course  reiiiuining  forme,  which  was  lo  confine  my 
publick  remarks  to  subjects  not  immediately  connected 
with  the  question;  and  to  urge  upon  my  readers  such  con- 
siderations as  I  believed  would  be  useful  to  them. 

Although,  1  liave  for  some  time  thought  I  should  ulti- 
mately renounce  the  doctrine,  yet  1  was  determined  not  lo 
do  it  so  hastily  as  not  to  be  fully  conscious  of  d(>ing  right. 
I  published  an  article  in  the  44th  No.  2d  volume  Genius  of 
Liberty,  from  the  Boston  Trumpet,  by  a  Resioratiunist, 
which  professes  to  give  an  account  of  the  religious  condi- 
tion of  universalists  generally  in  New  England.  The 
reackji-  is  requested  to  peruse  it.  The  editor  of  the  Trum- 
pet ^erts  that  it  is  a  misrepresentation.  How  it  may  be 
in  New  Ea^laud,  I  do  cot  know  ;  but  this  I  know,  that  it  \i^ 


or  UMVKiiSALlSM.  17 

not  a  misrepresentation  of  their  religious  condition  so  fur  ao 
I  know  any  thing  about  them.  I  would  not  speak  harshiy 
of  them.  My  affections  have  clung  to  them  with  almost 
the  grasp  of  desparation.  Certainly  as  a  people  they  de- 
serve no  evil  at  my  hands.  I  only  wish  to  speak  of  the 
general  effects  of  the  doctrine.  I  know  individuals  among 
them  of  the  most  amiable  dispositions  and  characters,  that 
would  honour  any  profession.  But  I  do  not  think  their 
doctrine  ever  made  them  so.  I  candidly  aver  in  the  fear  of 
God,  that  I  do  not  believe  the  doctrine  ever  made  a  single^* 
soul  any  better  tlian  he  otherwise  would  have  been,  while 
it  has  been  the  means  of  removing  necessary  restraints,  and 
giving  latitude  to  thousands,  whose  propensities  and  pas- 
sions needed  restraint,  whereby  they  have  indulged  in  crim- 
inal pursuits  and  gone  to  perdition.  1  only  judge  from 
what  I  know — from  what  I  have  seen,  in  reference  to  the 
general  effects  of  the  doctrine.  "The  tree  must  be  known 
by  its  fruits."  And  after  taking  the  fruits  of  the  tree  of 
universalism  into  long  and  deliberate  and  prayerful  consid- 
eration, so  far  as  I  have  ever  seen  them,  I  am  compelled  to 
conclude  the  tree  is  radically  defective — that  God  never  de- 
signed to  give  mankind  a  religion  which  would  do  them  no 
good,  and  about  which  most  of  its  friends  would  feel  so 
perfectly  indifferent  as  universalists  generally  do  about 
their  religion.  When  1  learn  of  a  single  drunkard,  or 
swearer,  or  gambler,  or  debauchee,  or  knave,  being  reform- 
ed in  consequence  of  the  universalist  doctrine,  I  shall  think 
better  of  its  influence  than  I  do  now — for  it  is  my  solemn 
opinion  that  such  an  instance  never  occurred.  And  I  would 
gladly  hold  up  this  truth  to  all  the  friends  of  the  doctrine, 
and  make  it  speak  out  in  thunder  to  their  consciences — and 
then  ask  themif  they  will  still  teach  this  doctrine  to  their 
children? 

Being  aroused  lo  these  considerations,  I  began  to  ask 
again  whether  the  Bible  did  teach  universalism  in  its  own 
plain  unsophisticated  construction.     In  the  first  place,  it  is 

3* 


18  RIINUJCCIATIO^ 

manifest  that /iO/>e  and /ear  are  the  two  great  sources  of 
human  vaUtions.  Hope  is  powerful  when  balanced  by 
fear  hi  inducing  men  to  action.  Men  will  never  do  much 
for  an  object  because  they  hope  for  it,  unless  they /ear  that 
they  shall  not  obtain  it  without  action.  Induce  an  avari- 
cious man  to  believe  that  he  shall  become  rich  whether  he 
works  or  not,  and  he  may  ardently /?o/7e  to  be  so;  bnt  such 
hope  would  never  induce  him  to  work.  On  the  other  hand 
induce  him  to  believe  that  if  he  works  he  shall  become 
,  rich,  and  to  fear  that  if  he  does  not  he  will  be  poor,  and 
this  hjpe  and  ftar  together  will  make  him  active.  So  when 
we  look  impartially  into  tlie  scriptures,  we  shall  find  the 
/jope  of  reward  and  the /mr  o-f  punishment,  every  where 
held  forth,  as  the  proper  irKlucements  to  a  good  life.  These 
are  the  inducements — they  are  parallel  through  the  Bi- 
ble— the  one  would  have  no  practical  effect  without  the 
ether.  Tn  reference  to  this  point  I  have  examineil  Prof. 
Stewart's  learned  work  on  those  original  terms  which  de- 
iioe  the  duration  of  future  liappiness  and  future  misery, 
and  I  think  he  clearly  shows  that  the  rewards  and  punish- 
ments of  a  future  world  are  parallel  and  o(  equal  duration. 
I  know  that  most  of  universalists  deny  the  existence  of 
even  any  punishment  in  a  future  state.  But  I  should  cer- 
tainly think  it  much  fairer  for  them  to  say  at  once,  that 
they  did  not  regard  the  unvarnished  sense  of  the  Bible  at  all, 
and  only  used  it  as  a  kind  of  popular  mantle  in  which  to 
dress  up  a  system  of  palpable  infidelity.*     They  may  come 

*  I  do  not  pretend  here  to  accuse  all  universalists,  who  deny  fu- 
ture punishment,  of  dishonesty ;  but  that  they  do  not  believe  in  the 
scriptures  in  their  plain  natural  unvarnished  sense.  To  bring  peo- 
ple to  their  system,  their  principal  business  is  to  varnish  over  tiie 
scriptures  so  as  to  give  them  the  a]>pearance  of  teaching  what 
common  readers  would  never  have  suspected  from  the  words. — 
The  r-ystera,  in  my  opinion,  is  so  near  deism,  as  to  be  precisely  the 
same  in  its  moral  effects.  There  are  many  good  moral  deists. — 
Those  men,  who  would  be  u>oraI  without  any  religious  restraint, 
would  be  good  moral  deists ;  and  so  with  this  system.  But  such  is 
not  the  moral  constitution  of  all  men.  And  as  all  ought  to  support 
the  laws  necessary  to  restrain  the  vicious,  so  all  ought  to  support 
religion  necessarj'  to  the  security  and  execution  of  those  laws.    Such 


OF  UNIVERSALISM.  19 

out  with  a  vengeance  on  me  for  saying  so  much ;  but  if  they 
must,  they  must — I  never  shrink  from  the  convictions  of 
right.  If  any  man  of  sense  can  read  Balfour's  Essays,  and 
other  writings  which  I  could'name,  and  not  be  convinced, 

universalism,  I  conceive  to  be  opposed  to  the  unvarnished  word  of 
(Jod,  as  will  appear  in  the  third  chapter  of  this  work.  And  every  at- 
tempt to  mako\!;e  scriptures  teach  it,  only  tends  to  lessen  the  con- 
fidence of  men,  in  the  authority  atid  imequivocal  huignage  of  divine 
revelation;  and  to  increase  unbelievers,  and  multiply  opposersto 
religion;  and  to  break  the  strongest  chains  which  bind  the  corrupt, 
a:id  save  the  innocent  fro Pw  the  perjnry,  perfidy,  and  crinies  of 
otiiers.  This  is  the  reason  why  I  tliink  it  would  be  fairer  or  better 
for  mankind  and  for  posterity,  if  the  advocates  of  that  doctrine 
would  openly  espouse  deism.  For  T  do  not  believe,  that  by  preach- 
ing open  infidelity,  they  could  undermine  the  christian  faith,  and 
increase  hostility  to  religion  as  fast  as  they  do  now.  I  think  it  im- 
possible to  look  over  the  country,  and  trace  universajism  in  a-ny 
place  where  it  prevails  to  any  extent,  and  not  be  satisfied  of  this 
truth.  Many  professed  universabsts  have  told  me,  at  different 
tim.es,  that  they  only  supported  universalism  as  a  means  of  putting 
down  superstition,  (revealed  religion.)  Bfany  preachers  take  u 
kind  of  dark  course  on  the  subject  of  future  punishment.  They 
preach  present  punishuient;  and  all  their  counnon  arguments  are 
calculated  to  induce  a  belief  that  punishment  must  be  licre  and 
no  where  else.  Yet  they  do  not  say  but  there  may  he  punishment  in 
a  future  state!  Hence,  while  they  teach  r.Vrra  universalism  in  all 
its  material  features,  they  hold  in  reserve,  the  advantage  of  taking 
shelter  under  restorationisniy  whenever  they  are  met  with  Scrij)- 
tures  in  debate,  which  they  cannot  evade,  and  which  they  must 
allow  to  tp?ich  future  punishment. 

Mr.  Kneeland  was  for  years  a  learned  and  eminent  universalrst 
teacher.  He  became  anAtlieist;  and  says,  that  the  fundamental 
principles,  taught  by  modern  nniversalists  and  himself,  ai-e  the 
same.  That  the  elements  of  his  system  are  all  found  in  their  argu- 
ments. That  the  principal  universalist  writers  and  teachere  are 
ongagedin  tlie  same ^rcaf  work  that  he  is,  viz  :  to  bring  mankind 
out  of  superstition  into  reason  and  nature.  He  claims  the  honour 
of  acting  openly  and  honestly  in  promoting  the  sauie  results,  which 
he  sayshis  nniversalistcoadjutorsare  promoting  in  their  own  way. 
I  am  informed  by  a  reputable  gendeman  from  Boston  that  uuiveV 
salist  societies  in  that  region  open  their  temples,  and  pay  him  for 
his  instructions  on  atheism,  or  pantheism,  which  is  substantially  the 
same  thing.  Universalist  preachers,  whether  hone&t  themselves 
or  not,  hold  )ip  to  the  people  an  inefficient  rehgion — a  religion  that 
never  harrows  up  the  guilty  conscience,  that  never  made  a  guilty 
nerve  to  tremble.  They  philosophise  and  speculate,  until  ihey 
bring  their  hearers  into  a  habit  of  do7(bting — and  they  generally 
doubt  on,  till  nothing  is  imdoubtcd  to  them,  except  that  priestcraft  iss 
the  principal  evil  in  the  world  !  This  fact  is  now  well  known  to 
almost  the  whole  community.  Universalist  preachers  may  have 
good  motives  of  action;  but  their  professed  followers  generally 
look  upon  them  as  counteracting  revealed  religion.    They  Lave 


20  RK^L.^■cIATIo^' 

that  materiiilisra  and  atheisin  are  at  the  bottom,  he  can  do 
what  I  canuot.  And  I  am  not  accustomed  to  shrink  from 
an  open  avowal  of  my  couclusious  on  account  of  the  frowns 
or  smiles  of  my  fellow  beings.  What  bave  1  on  earth  lo 
fear  ?  In  a  few  days  I  shall  be  in  another  world  !  And  so 
will  be  the  multitudes  that  now  rage  and  clamour  about 
opinions.  The  only  object,  then,  worthy  of  me  or  any 
other  man,  is  to  do  something  that  will  gild  the  way  from 
earth  with  peace  ;  and  leave  with  our  children  some  salu- 
tai'y  principles  to  guide  them  safely  amidst  the  temptations 
of  the  world. 

I  do  not  intend  here  to  discuss  the  subject  of  future  pun- 
ishment, though  it  is  not  impossible  I  may  do  it  hereafter. 
Suffice  it  to  say,  I  know  of  no  argument  against  eternal  pun- 
ishment that  can  be  drawn  from  the  fair  construction  of  the 
Scriptures.  And  as  to  the  conclusions  drawn  from  known 
facts,  they  are  as  much  in  favour  of  the  hypothesis  as 
against  it. 

Some  have  pretended  that,  as  I  have  said  and  written  so 
much  for  universal  salvation,  I  have  no  right  to  come  out 
against  it  now.  I  clung  to  the  system  as  long  as  I  consci- 
entiously could  ;  and  having  seen  more  and  more,  and  re- 
flected more  and  more  on  the  subject,  and  its  relations  and 
tendencies,  I  rim  fully  satisfied  that  I  ought  to  abandon  it. 
It  must  be  because  I  know  more  than  I  once  did,  cr  less. 

Some  time  in  the  last  winter,  I  received  of  Mr.  Gillet, 
Bishop  Home's  evidences  of  revealed  religion.  I  read  it 
wiih  increasing  avidity.  It  was  the  first  work  I  had  ever 
read  in  proof  of  the  divine  authority  of  the  Bible.  Every 
objection  that  ever  I  thought  of,  and  many  more,  were  there 
conclusively  answered.     The  Scriptures  were  supported  by 

thousands  of  such  admirers,  who  assume  the  name  ofuniversalists, 
laugh  at  their  wit,  and  chuckle  at  their  perversions  of  scripture, 
yet  those  admirers  well  kuow  their  instructions  to  be  rapidly  un- 
dermining the  christian  faith.  They  suppose  such  to  be  the  object 
of  universalism.  Infidelity  has  been  extended  in  the  state  of  New 
York  and  New  England  by  tiiat  means  to  a  great  extent. 


OF  UMViiaSALlSM.  21 

evidence  that  botli  cistonisLed  und  overwhelmed  in}'  whole 
mind.     I  thanked  God  that  I  had  seen  the  work. 

What  liave  been  my  experimental  impressions  since,  it 
may  not  be  necessary  to  rehite  at  this  time. 

The  idea  of  separating  myself  from  those  wlio  have  beeii 
my  friends,  has  been  indeed  a  subject  of  exquisite  feeling. 
But  when  contrasted  with  the  sense  of  duty,  there  was  no 
alternative.  Those  whose  friendship  i»  worth  retaining 
will  not  be  the  less  friendly  because  I  pursue  the  course 
which  my  judgement  dictates  and  my  conscience  approves. 
From  what  1  have  already  seen  and  heard,  I  have  reason 
to  expect  my  motives  will  be  assailed.  Those  men  whose 
own  motives  are  mercenary  will  impute  such  to  me.  I  am 
now  prepared  in  the  strengtli  of  the  Lord  Jesus  to  bear 
whatever  of  calumny  or  reviling  this  act  may  call  into  beiug. 

And  1  hope  to  possess  a  disposition  to  forgive  all  such 
uncharitable  aspersions,  as  will  grow  out  of  the  same  dark 
prejudices  and  anti-christian  animosities,  which  I  have  felt 
and  cherished  with  blind  and  devoted  infatuation.  May  lliat 
God  whose  free  grace  is  as  a  river,  forgive  them  and  me, 
and  bring  them  ultimately,  by  the  efficiency  of  jjis  spirit, 
to  see  and  feel  the  power  and  truth  of  the  religion  of  ChriFt. 

For  some  time  1  have  contemplated,  in  consequence  of 
my  conviction  of  the  utter  inefficiency  of  univeisalism,  to 
go  into  private  business,  and  retire  from  all  publick  life. — 
Were  it  not  for  the  sweeping  prevalence  of  infidelity,  which 
1  deprecate  as  subversive  of  the  most  important  iiiterestB  of 
men,  I  think  still  it  wot: id  be  my  choice.  But  on  tlie 
whole,  I  have  concluded  to  follow  the  still  small  voice  of 
the  Deity,  to  go  where  that  directs  and  do  what  that  re- 
quires. 

Forme  to  doubt  that  God  has  exerted  a  special  influ- 
ence over  my  views  and  feelings  for  some  time  past,  would 
bo  to  doubt  the  evidence  of  my  own  sensations.  And  al- 
though these  may  be  fallacious,  yet  no  one  can  safely  dis- 
regard what  he  is  made  to  feel. 


-^  KE.\tr.\'CIATIO:> 

Ifauy  are  nstonishet]  nt  the  course  i  have  taken  they  are 
uo  more  astonished  than  I  am.  It  has  been  brought  about 
gradually  to  be  sure,  but  by  tlie  invisible  action  of  agent^j 
over  which  I  liad  no  control.  If  I  aai  to  blame  for  my 
present  impressions,  1  am  as  much  to  blame  because  the 
sun  shines. 

It  has  been  said  and  will  be  reiterated  throucii  the  coun  • 

p 

try,  and  I  may  he  thus  noticed  in  the  universalist  publica- 
tions, that  my  object  is  popularity.  I  do  not  say  that  they 
are  actuated  by  such  motives,  but  admit  that  they  arc  prob- 
ably as  honest  as  I  have  been.  And  if  they  really  posscrs 
•the  charity  for  which  they  claim  distinction,  they  will  not 
insinuate  any  such  thing  of  me.  If  I  have  been  any  way 
distinguished  as  a  lover  of  popularity,  or  if  indeed  my  pres- 
eat  course  was  a  very  popular  one,  there  might  be  some 
small  ground  for  such  a  suspicion,  though  no  ground 
such  a  charge.  But  this  is  not  true,  as  I  am  able  to 
sht)w  that  I  have  recently  rejecteil  opportunities  to  se- 
cure a  much  greater  chance  of  popularity  ihan  I  can 
over  expect  from  this  course.  If  it  shall  be  said  that  my 
object  is  money,  I  shall  be  able  to  exhibit  facts,  such  as 
would  satisfy  any  candid  mind  that  it  is  not  the  case.  I 
can  show  that  1  have  pursued  a  course  in  ray  own  paper, 
which  I  anticipated  would  subject  me  to  a  serious  loss.  I 
can  also  show  that  for  some  time  past  I  have  had  induce- 
ments of  a  pecuniary  kind  held  out  to  me  as  a  promulgator 
of  universalism  far  greater  than  I  can  ever  expect  from  any 
other  connexion.  If  all  tb.is  does  not  satisfy,  which  kind 
Providence  has  granted  me,  as  I  think,  for  that  express 
purpose,  and  many  think  me  yet  in  reality  a  universalist, 
jjrofessing  anoti^er  sentiment  for  inercenary  purposes,  let 
them  consider  that  this  is  only  saying,  that  universalism 
has  so  little  influence  over  its  disciples,  that  they  may  pro- 
fess any  thing  else  for  popularity  or  money  I  Which  would 
i>e  only  another  argument  v/hy  I  ought  to  abandon  it. 
ilowever,  none  will  ii^upute  to  me&uch  motives  of  action, 


OF  UNIVERSALISM.  '4'S 

except  sucli  as  know  of  no  other  motives  of  action — that 
have  no  principles, — no  affections — and  thxt  never  dream- 
ed of  doing  any  thing  because  it  was  right!  And  those 
who  make  such  insinuations  are  always  those  very  men 
whose  sole  object  in  t.heir- business  is  professedly  money, 
just  as  if  I  had  not  as  good  a  right  to  pursue  my  worldly 
interests,  as  other  men !  ■-    , 

I  acknowledge  that!  have  motives  of  action,  but  I  deny 
that  the  expectation  of  either  money  or  popular  applause 
has  any  partjn  this  business. 

But  I  have  heard  men  spiy  that  Paul  and  Peter  subjected 
themselves  to  a  whole  life  of  suffering,  and  death  itself,  for 
the  purpose  of  making  money  !  From  such  men  I  expect 
neither  justice  nor  mercy  1  Sucli  as  never  act  from  pure 
and  good  motives  are  very  apt  to  think  others  do  not. — 
Men  who  are  seldom  sincere  are  apt  to  suspect  the  sincerity 
of  others.  Men  who  despise  the  Bible  are  apt  to  think  oth- 
ers must  despise  it  too,  and  sucli  as  hate  religion  will  think 
others  must,  and  will  hate  them  if  they  do  not. 

Let  it  not  be  thought  that  I  consider  this  step  of  mine  of 
trilling  consequence.  I  have  approached  it  with  the  most 
deliberate  consideration.  Neither  do  I  despise  the  feelings 
of  hundreds  of  good  friends  who  will  feel  tenderly  and 
grievously  affected  with  this  annunciation.  There  are  hon- 
est and  good  universalisfs.  Such  will  feel  astonished  and 
grieved.  For  them  I  could  drop  a  tear,  but  I  could  not 
refrain  from  this  act,  and  still  be  worthy  of  their  regard. — 
So  I  feel,  and  so  I  must  ace  or  be  a  slave.  God  has  willed 
that  it  should  be  so;  yet  let  it  not  be  supposed  that  1  feel 
no  affection  for  good  universalists.  I  believe  there  are 
many  such  who  will  go  to  heaven,  though  I  believe  not  that 
the  sentiment  generally  makes  men  better.  Men  are  not  to 
be  punished  at  all  for  being  universalists,  but  only  for  wick- 
ed actions.  My  objections  to  universalisrn  are  founded 
mainly  upon  the  fact  of  its  inefficiency  to  reform  the  wick- 
ed, and  to  promote  the  growth  and   living  energy  of  vital 


^  RENt:>'CIATIO:< 

piety.  God  has  made  us  free  moral  agents,  and  he  has 
made  us  capable  ot'obtaining  a  supply  of  worldly  comforts, 
by  the  due  improvement  of  our  faculties,  and  of  ^'eing  meas- 
urably happy  ;  but  without  the  improvemeni  of  these  fa- 
culties, we  cannot  secure  even  the  common  comforts  of 
this  world.  So  1  think  the  relig.*on  «f  our  Lord  Jesull'" 
Christ  teuches  us  to  expect  our  future  condition  will  be 
according  to  the  character  we  form.  This  gives  to  virtue 
its  best  encouragement  and  brightest  hopes,  and  to  vice  its 
most  powerful  restraint.  It  attaches  the  most  solemn 
sanction  to  the  laws  of  God,  and  binds  in  the  strongest 
chains  the  dearest  interests  of  men.  And  when  we  reflect 
that  many  men  ivill  break  over  all  restraints — will  nehher 
regard  the  laws  of  honour,  or  humanity,  the  holy  affections 
of  kindred  beings,  the  tears  of  the  innocent,  nor  the  love  of 
God,  the  hopes  of  heaven  nor  the  terrours  of  hell,  who 
would  wish  to  diminish  the  means  of  restraining  the  wicked  ? 

The  love  of  God  has  much  in  it  to  interest  and  affect  the 
heart  of  a  christian,  but  it  cannot  act  where  it  is  not.  We 
might  go  to  the  pirate,  or  any  cold,  malicious,  conscienee- 
seared  wretch,  and  preach  the  love  of  God  to  him,  and  he 
would  still  laugh,  and  whet  the  murdering  knife  for  another 
riotira. 

The  grand  object  of  all  religion  is  to  make  men  good. — 
For  this  Jesus  came  on  earth  and  died.  For  this  the  apos- 
tles laboured  and  offered  up  their  lives.  For  this  the  mar- 
tyrs bled.  And  to  cherish  any  religion  which  has  not  this 
effect  is  to  strike  a  fatal  blow  at  the  best  interests  of  our  race. 

Sincerely  and  deliberately  believing  that  such  is  the  effect 
of  the  universalian  doctrine,  I  appeal  to  the  heart  search- 
ing God  for  the  purity  of  my  motives,  while  I  hereby  pub- 
lickly  renounce  the  doctrine  as  unscriptural  and  of  perni- 
cious tendency ;  and  I  withdraw  from  all  ecclessiastical 
connexion  with  the  people  called  universahsts. 

LEWIS  C.  TODD. 

Jamtstoicn,  May  25,  1633. 


I  CHAPTER  II* 

V]&«  rrotlo**  and  Aspersions  of  Unl-rersallst  EMUtors  mmI 
Presuohers  examined  and  repelled^ 


r' 


Notice  of  the  Renunciation  in  the  "  Magazim  and  Advocate^'' 
of  Utica.     By  the  junior  Editor. 

'*  He  that  is  first  in  his  own  cause,  seemeth  jast,  but  hie  njeigh- 
bourcoraeth  and  searcheth  him." — Prov.  xvm.  17. 

I  do  not  expect  to  reply  to  any  more  of  the  aspersions  of 
universalist  editors  than  to  vindicate  myself,  and  ray  Itenun- 
ciation.  Having  done  this,  I  shall  leave  them  with  th© 
publicU,  who  have  generally  knowledge  enough  of  their 
veracity  to  appreciate  their  statements,  without  much  effort 
on  my  part  to  repel  them.  I  did  not  intend  to  come  out 
in  any  hostile  form  against  professed  universalists.  And  I 
will  not  say  a  word  against  any  that  are  really  friends  to 
Christ,  but  I  shall  in  this  work  declare  many  truths  about 
a  proportion  of  the  professors  of  that  system,  especially 
some  of  its  teachers.  I  do  it  from  a  sense  of  duty  to  my- 
self, to  God,  and  to  mankind.  Some  of  these  men  have 
long  enjoyed  the  privilege  of  publishing  to  the  world,  every 
thing  which  a  perverted  understanding,  and  an  imagination 
trained  to  the  trade  of  sophistry  could  devise,  about  the 
subject  of  this  review.  And  some  might  cot  be  able  fully 
to  understand  them  without  my  assistance.  It  is  now  ray 
turn  to  be  heard  in  my  defence. 

The  universalist  paper  at  Utica  is  owned  by  Rev.  D.  Skin- 
ner ;  but  he  has  a  man  by  the  name  of  ^.  B.  Grosh  in  his 
employ  as  junior  editor  of  the  paper,  It  would  seem,  that 
this  man  is  hired^  for  the  purpose  of  writing  such  articles 
as  the  design  of  the  paper  requires,  but  which  are  too  scur- 
rilous for  the  editor.  This  Grosh  first  opened  ihe  subject 
<t£  my  ReQUQciatioQ  in  that  paper,  thus  : 

3 


36  A&PE^IOHS  QT    DfflTER4ALIST« 

"  Remcnciation  of  Universalism  ! — Under  the  above  title, 
Lewis  C.  Todd,  editor  of  the  Genius  of  Liberty,  published 
at  Jamestown,  Chautauqua  Co.  in  this  state,  renounces 
his  profession  of  universalism.  This  is  what  I  have  for 
some  time  partially  expected,  save  that  he  now  inclines  to 
believe  partialism,  and  I  expected  he  would  have  come  out 
as  he  once  before  had  done  for  skepticism." 

This  reverend  scribbler  seems  to  Yisve  expected,  for  some 
time,  that  I  should  '*  now  come  out  as  I  once  before  had 
done  for  skepticism."  A  small  mistake — I  never  did  come 
out  **  once  before  for  skepticism."  I  once,  when  young, 
entertained  some  doubts  of  the  revelation  of  the  Bible,  and 
expressed  those  doubts.  But  I  never  came  out  as  an  ad- 
vocate of  those  doubts — I  never  contended /or  skepticism; 
I  never  professed  to  favour  skepticism  ;  but  only  expressed 
some  doubts,  which  I  hoped  would  be  removed. 

But  what  made  him  "partially  expect"  rae  to  renounce 
universalism  ?  This  is  the  answer — I  had  for  several 
months  been  publishing  a  defence  of  Divine  Revelation  in 
my  paper.  I  had  also  written  many  articles  against  gam- 
bling, swearing,  intemperance,  &c.  I  had  expressed  a 
warm  attachment  to  the  Bible  and  the  interests  of  Christian- 
ity. This  was  what  made  him  think  I  could  not  be  sound 
in  '•  the  system."  This  alone  had  induced  hundreds  to 
anticipate  my  Renunciation.  And  it  was  predicted  and  dis- 
coursed on  before  any  other  indications  of  it  had  gone 
from  me.  I  doubt  not  that  he  tells  the  truth  when  he  says, 
he  expected  my  Renunciation.  Such  a  course  as  I  pur- 
sued in  the  last  six  months  as  editor,  being  devoted  to  ra- 
ligion  and  morality,  would  plainly  indicate  that  I  was  gel- 
ting  off  the  ground.  But  did  he  really  expect  that  I  was 
"coming out  for  skepticism  ?"  He  says  so.  But  he  had 
no  other  evidence  that  I  was  becoming  a  skeptick,  save  that 
I  was  taking  a  decided  stand  in  favour  of  the  Bible  and  Re- 
ligion I  This  seems  to  have  aroused  the  apprehensions 
of  many  professed  universalists.  But  this  reverend  editor 
wduld  have  us  really  believe,  that  he  (sonnd  reafcner)  really 


EXAKlSfEU  A5D    ftSPELLEO.  27 

expected  I  was  about  coming  out  a  skeptick,  because  I  was 

fully   and  warmly  vindicating  the  Bible  and  religion  against 

infidelity  and  skepticism  I  ! !     But  the  Rev.  gentleman  says 

so,  and  we  must  believe  him  if  we  can.     Again  : 

"  He  professes  that  his  feelings  have  been  singular  for 
some  time  past,  and  his  heart  despondent;  and  on  the 
whole,  I  had  been  expecting  that  he  would  again  quit 
universalists,  saying  as  before,  he  had  no  evidence  there 
was  a  God,  and  if  a  God,  that  he  was  a  good  God." 

Look  at  this.  *•  He  professes  that  his  feelings,"  &o. 
that  is,  in  the  Renunciation.  He  had  seen  no  such  profes- 
sions before  the  Renunciatioa  appeared  !  Yet  these  pro- 
fessions made  him,  ♦'  on  the  whole"  expect  me  to  renounce, 
before  he  saw  them,  and  before  they  were  made ! ! !  He 
is  like  the  old  woman,  somebody  speaks  of,  who  would  al- 
ways prophesy  things  after  they  happened  ! 

I  never  said,  I  had  no  evidence  there  was  a  God.  That 
is  a  fabrication.  The  circumstance,  out  of  which,  thii 
editor,  in  the  plenitude  of  that  charity  for  which  they  boast, 
fangled  up  the  idea  shall  be  explained  in  its  place.  We 
wrote  a  reply  and  sent  to  Ulica  requesting  its  insertion  in 
their  paper,  designed  to  correct  some  of  his  mistakes ; 
but  he  would  not  publish  my  short  reply  (only  one  sheet) 
lest  the  publick  should  see  things  as  they  are  !  Yet,  theae 
boasted  champions  of  liberality  and  fairness  pretend  to  give 
their  opponents  a  fair  chance  to  defend  their  cause  through 
their  papers !  He  had  made  a  personal  attack  on  me,  and 
then  was  so  "  liberal"  that  he  would  not  suffer  me  to  de- 
fend myself  against  his  statements  !  But  he  said  some  of 
my  letter  was  not  to  the  point !  So  he  judged,  meaning 
it  did  not  point  out  exactly  what  he  wished  his  readers  to 
see.  In  another  place,  they  mourn  pitiously  that  I  have 
put  them  to  the  expense  of  publishing  my  Renunciation,  &o. 
Do  they  think  their  readers  are  such  blunderheads  as  not 
to  know,  that  they  get  pay  for  all  they  publish  from  their 
subscribei-s  1  They  accuse  me  of  demanding  them  to  pub- 
ViAh,  &e.     Had  they  said  nothing  about  me,  I  should  have 


38  ASPH&Bioirs  OP  ujriTK&siOiiS'ni 

made  qo  demand  on  them ;  but  having  noticed  Qie  I  thoagfat 
it  right  they  should  publish  my  defence.  Shame  to  their 
boasted  benevolence  and  fairness.  But  he  excused  him- 
self that  I  did  not  pay  the  postage  on  the  letter !  Then  he 
is  to  make  up  a  number  of  calumnious  statements  of  me, 
and  publish  them,  and  will  refuse  to  publish  my  answer  un- 
less postage  paid  !  That  is  (he  thinks,)  a  fair  specimen 
of  uaiversalist  liberality  ;  and  declares  it  to  have  been  one 
of  my  own  editorial  rules  !  If  I  was  auniversalist,  I  never 
was  bad  enough  to  adopt  any  such  editorial  rule.  Ire- 
quired  correspondents  to  pay  their  postage,  but  never  refu- 
sed to  publish  any  man's  reply  to  my  personal  remarks 
on  him,  because  the  postage  was  unpaid.  But  the  poor 
creature  of  an  editor  did  not  wish  his  readers  to  see  exact- 
ly that  way.  He,  however,  has  the  goodness  to  tell  his 
readers  that  he  received  a  letter  from  me  ;  aud  to  tell  them 
that  it  contained  certain  things,  which  he  wished  them  to 
suppose  it  did  contain.     We  extract,  thus, 

"  He  says  {meaning  in  my  letter)  no  man  can  leave  our 
denomination,  without  an  eftbrt  on  our  part  to  injure  him 
in  publick  estimation.  Br.  Smith's  remarks  on  Mr.  Todd's 
former  desertion  of  universalisra  is  an  answer  to  this.  What 
the  common  custom  of  universalists  may  be,  I  can  hardly 
tell,  it  is  so  very  seldom  that  any  leave  us." 

By  reading  Mr.  Smith's  "  Opinion"  of  me  in  the  sequel, 
it  will  be  seen  that  he  means,  that  I  once  deserted  univer- 
salism  and  became  an  infidel ;  and  they  did  not  abuse  me 
for  it !  I  did  not  mean  that  they  abuse  their  brethren  for 
becoming  infidels,  but  for  becoming  attached  to  any  other 
religious  sect.  No  doubt  more  than  ninety-nine  hund- 
redths of  their  proselytes  become  infidels  more  or  less 
openly,  soon  after  their  conversion  to  universalism,  yet  the 
editors  have  always  "charity"  for  ihem.  There  is  a  truly 
iioble  philanthropy  in  such  cases — a  tender  sympathy.  In- 
deed it  was  true  that  none  of  the  professed  universalists 
blamed  me  for  my  doubts,  though  some  of  them  did  for 
Utting  those  doubts  interfere  with  my  professiofl  of  unirwr- 


■  KXAMINKD  AND  REPELLED.  29 

salism.  Modern  universalists  and  infidels  seldom  disagree; 
and  when  they  do,  it  is  more  about  the  name  they  shall 
take  than  principle.  Editors  will  marvel  at  this  ;  but  these 
assertions  are  such  palpable  truths,  and  so  well  known  to 
the  whole  community,  that  I  risk  nothing  by  them. 

That  universalist  ministers  seldom  leave  them  as  a  de- 
nomination, I  admit.  They  usually  become  so  prejudiced 
against  true  piety,  that  if  they  go  off  at  all,  it  is  into  open 
infidelity.  Many  have  gone  that  way  ;  but  as  that  was  little 
more  than  changing  their  name,  they  were  suffered  to  de- 
part in  peace  from  ^he  bullies  they  left  behind.  But  when- 
ever a  man  of  note — a  preacher,  has  become  sick  of  their 
farcical  Christianity,  and  turned  to  the  plain  and  fair  con- 
struction of  scripture,  and  the  promotion  of  piety,  they 
have,  in  every  case,  done  all  they  could  do  to  injure  both 
his  feelings  and  his  name.  This  their  friends  all  know.  I 
have  known  it  ever  siace  I  have  known  the  order ;  and 
every  body  knows  it  that  knows  them.  Some  years  ago, 
a  number  of  their  preachers  in  Ohio  came  off,  about  the 
same  time,  assigning  similar  reasons  to  mine,  and  they  were 
abused,  and  their  motives  questioned  as  mine  have  been; 
and  a  universalist  preacher  never  did  turn  from  them  to  any 
other  religious  sect,  without  being  abused  by  them. 


Re-marks  on  the  ^'■gathering  of  the  men  of  tear''  and  Mr, 
Stacy's  report. — (See  Mag.  ^  Advocate^  Vol.  4,  No.  32.; 

"  For  the  mouth  of  the  wicked  and  the  mouth  of  the  deceitful  are 
opened  against  uie.  They  have  spoken  against  me  with  a  lying 
tongue.  They  compassed  me  about  also  with  words  of  hatred;  and 
fought  against  me  without  a  cause." — Psalm  cix.  2,  3. 

When  my  Renunciation  first  appeared,  Mr.  Grosh  gave 

it  the  little  notice  just  referred  to,  and  all  was  then  silent 

thereabouts  for  some  week*.     Th«  Utica  Magazine  seemed 

3» 


30  ASPKllf ION8  OF    U^ITSRSALIfTg 

to  be  asleep— but  we  are  not  to  suppose,  that  those  mond- 
gers  bad  conlcuded  to  attend  to  their  own  business,  and  let 
a  dissenter  go  off  peaceably  without  a  severe  flagellation. 
This  would  have  been  contrary  to  all  precedent,  as  well  as 
incompatible  with  that  devotion  to  the  growing  monster, 
which  was  destined  in  the  minds  of  many,  to  crush  the 
christian  religion  forever.  But  the  storm  was  gathering — 
the  elements  were  in  motion.  There  seems  to  have  been  a 
council  held — an  assembling  of  the  "companions  in  arras.*' 
Mr.  Stacy,  universalist  preacher  of  Columbus,  Pa.  was 
down  at  the  time.  Mr.  Stacy  was  from  the  region  of 
country  where  the  Renunciation  was  made.  He  had  con- 
versed with  its  author  an  evening  sometime  previous  to  its 
appearance.  This  fact  seemed  to  promise  them  some  ad- 
vantage. Mr.  Smith,  of  Clinton,  was  acquainted  with  th» 
author  when  young ;  and  had  some  imperfect  knowledge 
of  his  first  introduction  into  the  ministry.  All  these  things 
were  conceived  important  advantages,  by  which  the  author 
of  the  Renunciation  might  be  traduced,  and  his  pubhck 
influence  diminished.  They  read  the  Renunciation,  and 
supposing  some  remarks  which  referred  to  the  wicked  and 
profligate  of  no  denomination,  to  allude  to  universalists, 
they  verily  thought  it  their  privilege  to  assail  the  author  in 
a  spirit  of  malignity  and  persecution.  The  Renunciation 
was  in  fact  so  mild  and  tolerant  that  the  orthodox  generally 
conceived  me  yet  a  friend  to  universalists.  Andl  actually 
was  a  friend  to  all  good  and  candid  universalists,  and  am 
yet.  And  I  cannot  but  regret,  that  enlightened  editors  and 
preachers  should  have  so  mistaken  the  true  interests  of 
their  cause,  as  to  assail  my  motives  and  person  instead  of 
principles  :  so  as  to  make  it  necessary  for  me  to  engage 
with  them  in  a  controversy  about  persons  and  motives  in- 
stead of  principles  in  which  all  are  concerned.  But  as  they 
u^ould  take  this  course,  I  am  compelled,  as  Washington 
tdvised  Braddock,  to  fight  them  in  their  own  way. 

That  Mr.  Stacy  should  vifiit  with  me,  and  hold  a  »arelM« 


EXAUII7SB  AMD   KKPSI.I.B*.  St 

and  angnardeu  oooTersatioQ  with  me,  as  between  two  friends, 
without  taking  ony  notes,  or  intimating  any  design  to  pub- 
lish the  conversation,  should,  after  the  lapse  of  some  months, 
undertake  to  report  a  garbled  statement  of  the  conversation 
to  the  world  from  memory,  alone;  that  my  words  so  reported 
might  become  the  grour.'l  of  inferences  and  conclusions 
against  me,  is  a  kind  of  tell  tale  business  only  fit  to  grace 
the  court  of  an  inquisition.  I  have  no  idea  that  Mr.  Stacy 
could  have  been  guilty  of  such  a  breach  of  good  breeding, 
and  all  the  laws  of  courtesy,  which  even  savages  regard, 
had  he  not  been  drawn  into  it  by  other  members  of  the 
"  fraternity."  Such  a  course  has  so  much  of  meanness 
in  it,  that  the  mind  sickens  and  is  ashamed  to  contemplate 
it.  I  must  think  he  fell  a  victim  to  the  arts  of  others,  and 
to  designs  that  Satan  would  blush  to  own.  I  forgive  th« 
errour,  as  no  doubt  he  is  sorry  for  it. 

The  editors  have  got  Mr.  Stacy's  signature  to  our  re- 
ported conversation,  of  course  hold  up  his  veracity  as  above 
all  question  under  any  circumstances.  Well — I  have  noth- 
ing to  say  against  Mr.  Stacy.  I  wish  all  his  brethren  were 
like  him.  I  think  he  meant  to  be  middling  honest  in  his 
report,  at  least  as  far  as  he  went  with  it.  And  who  could 
expect  him  to  report  such  parts  as  would  prostrate  the  ob- 
ject of  their  labour?  Was  he  not  too  some  forgetful? 
Had  he  not  the  interests  of  his  sect  to  sustain  ?  Were 
there  not  around  him  a  number  of  preachers  and  editors, 
whose  *'  hearts  burned  within  them"  to  avenge  their  rajnr- 
ed  craft  ?  And  was  he  not  a  little  desirous  that  the  report 
should  favour  the  interests  of  their  cause,  and  answer  the 
purposes  for  which  he  knew  they  wanted  it  ?  And  might 
cot  all  these  considerations  make  the  report  liable  to  some 
SToaU  imperfections,  so  as  to  be  an  improper  ground  to  try 
and  condemn  me  upon  unheard?  And  that  too  when 
jud^e,  jury,  witness  a»d  executioner  were  all  of  the  sara« 
party ;  having  all  a  common  interest  at  stake  \  aod  a«  Is 
fi«p|>©s«d,  the  Deril  in  court,  a«  prosecuting  atterney  into 


n  AarS&CIOJTI  OF    Vl* iTXMAl.lt is 

ihc  bargain  ?  They  were  not  wjiJing  to  take  my  own  words 
Tolantarily  laid  before  the  publick  ;  and  content  themaelvee 
with  garbling  them  into  something  that  might  militate 
against  me  ;  but  they  must  get  somethiog  more.  Some- 
thing that  should  come  in  a  shape  to  suit  their  feelings 
better  than  any  thing  from  my  own  pen  !  Now  I  admit 
that  something  very  much  like  the  report  in  words  did  pass 
between  us.  But  there  are  some  trifling  variations  in  toordM, 
which  make  a  wide  variation  in  the  sense  and  application 
of  the  report.  Much  he  omitted  ;  added  a  little  ;  and 
altered  a  little.  So  that  many  things  are  made  to  look 
otherwise  in  the  report  than  in  the  original.  He  repre- 
sents the  following  dialogue  to  have  passed  between  as, 
which  I  present  as  a  specimen. 

*'  Why,  the  universalists  or  those  calling  themselves  such, 
in  this  town,  (Jamestown)  if  they  had  the  power,  would 
rip  me  open  and  draw  the  last  drop  of  blood  from  my  heart. 
Why,  Br.  T.  said  I,  what  do  you  mean  !  you  are  crazy  ! 
The  universalists  here  are  your  friends.  No,  he  answered 
they  are  not.  1  know  them,  and  what  I  know  I  know  as 
well  as  any  other  man.  I  doubt  not,  said  I,  that  you  know 
vjhat  you  know,  as  well  as  any  man.  But  you  do  not  know 
this.  These  are  unreasonable  suspicions  —  unfounded 
jealousies.  Why  do  you  suffer  yourself  to  indulge  such 
jealousies  ?  to  destroy  your  own  peace  and  the  peace  of 
your  friends  ?  The  universalists  are  your  friends  ;  they 
have  patronized  you,  (just  as  if  patronage  was  all  the  prin- 
ciple a  man  could  have,)  perhaps  not  so  much  as  your  mer- 
its deserved;  but  as  much  probably  as  they  thought  they 
were  able.  No  said  he,  they  are  not  my  friends — they  are 
mad  with  me  for  attempting  to  vindicate  the  christian  re- 
ligion.** 

To  this  extract  from  Mr.  Stacy's  report,  I  say,  I  did  teJl 
him  there  were  men  in  Jamestown,  ca/Zcrf  universalists,  who 
would  do  as  above  if  they  dare.  And  distinctly  told  him 
that  I  judged  so  from  the  abuse  1  had  received  from  them 
personally,  and  that  I  had  been  told  that  such  persons  were 
malicious  enough  to  do  it,  (meaning  only  two  or  three)  and 
all  this  for  having  written  much  recently  and  published  ifl 
foretir  of  religioo  and  the  B}bl€.     I  did  not  represent  tmi- 


versalists  generally  either  in  Jamestown  or  anj  where  else 
as  being  desirous  to  murder  me ;  as  the  editors  would 
wish  to  have  it  suppo.sed,  so  as  to  arouse  the  vengeance  of 
all  universalists  against  iiie.  I  did  farther  represent  pro- 
fessed universalists  genetally,  but  not  universally,  as  exas- 
perated against  me  for  vindicating  divine  revelation.  I 
told  him  that  I  had  the  fullest  evidence  of  this,  from 
numerous  letters  sent  in  from  subscribers  ;  from  the  ver- 
bal declarations  of  many ;  from  the  general  murmur  of 
dissatisfaction  on  that  account  through  the  country  ;  and 
from  the  other  numerous  indications  that  I  beheld.  All 
this  I  told  him,  in  substance,  though  I  do  not  pretend  to 
have  a  memory  to  relate  a  familiar  conversation,  monthi 
afterwards,  '*  in  the  very  words,"  as  he  says  of  most  of  his 
report.  I  also  told  him,  that  when  I  became  satisfied  that 
universalism  was  to  be  identified  with  infidelity,  I  would 
renounce  it,  let  them  do  what  they  would  or  call  me  what 
they  would.  That  I  would  do  it  though  death  or  flames 
might  be  the  consequence ;  for  I  should  consider  it  a  duty 
I  owed  myself,  my  God,  my  children,  and  mankind.  Again 
he  reports, 

'•  But  still  he  complained  that  our  societies  were  made 
up  of  deists  ;  that  our  hearers  were  mostly  deists  and  scof- 
fers of  religion — that  this  was  the  case  with  the  societies 
in  the  order  generally — that  the  common  method  of  preach- 
ing in  the  order  was  rather  calculated  to  brow  beat  ortho- 
doxy than  to  promote  piety,  (every  reader  acquainted  loitK 
them  knows  it  is  even  so.)  That  they  did  not  feel  sufficient- 
ly interested  to  give  a  reasonable  support  to  their  preach- 
ers— that  their  main  object  in  forming  societies,  support- 
ing preaching,  and  attending  meeting,  was  to  oppose  and 
break  down  other  denominations  ;  and  he  awfully  feared 
that  infidelity  would  overspread  the  whole  christian  world, 
&c.  &c." 

There. is  no  mistake  in  the  substance  of  the  above  only 

what  consists  In  omitting  what  would  have  made  it  better 

understood.     As  to  their  *'  not  feeling  interested  enough 

lo  Eopport  preaching,  I  told  him  a  reason  of  it  was,  that 

most  of  its  pr«fp.s»orf  wer«  really   unbelievers  in  religion. 


34  AlFX&STOjrt  »T    (TiriVEa«Al.I»V8 

and,  therefore,  woold  pay  nothing  from  religious  principle. 
That  though  most  such  men  would  now  pay  liberally  to 
support  universalisra,  because  they  thought  it  instrumen- 
tal io  overthrowing  religious  denominations,  that  they  would 
not  pay  a  cent  after  this  object  should  be  accomplished.  I 
told  him  they  supported  universalism  not  as  religion  but  m 
a  means  of  putting  down  religion — as  an  opposition.  I 
told  him  that  I,  or  any  other  unirersalist  preacher,  who  wa« 
able  to  preach  down  other  orders,  could  get  a  rich  support, 
so  long  as  other  orders  were  supported — but  as  our  busi- 
aess  was  opposition,  the  moment  we  conquered  the  ortho- 
dox, our  supporters  would  turn  round  and  trample  us  un- 
der foot.  I  farther  told  him,  that  I  had  recently  had  several 
opportunities  to  settle  myself  as  a  preacher  of  the  doctrine, 
but  that  I  could  not  see  good  enough  resulting  from  it  t© 
stimulate  me  to  action.  I  told  him  I  had  a  higher  object 
in  living  than  to  get  a  living.  That  I  did  not  wish  to  set 
myself  up  as  a  stage  player,  just  to  amuse  infidels,  because 
I  could  live  by  it.  That  I  could  be  satisfied  with  little, 
accompanied  with  a  consciousness  of  doing  good,  and  with- 
©ut  that  no  salary  would  satisfy  me.  All  that  and  much 
more  I  told  him,  expressing  in  the  most  pointed  terms,  that 
I  was  dissatisfied  and  disappointed  with  the  denomination, 
on  account  of  their  indifference  to  piety,  the  profanity, 
gambling,  and  other  bad  habits  so  common  among  them. 
I  had  made  similar  complaints  to  Mr.  Stacy,  more  or  less, 
I  think,  every  opportunity  I  had  enjoyed  with  him,  since 
he  moved  into  the  country,  for  some  years.  He  forgot,  of 
•curse,  to  report  all  these  things,  but  adds  in  a  very  graa©- 
fal  manner, 

"  On  the  whole,  I  found  his  mind  in  a  state  of  great  db- 
quietude,  and  it  was  clearly  discoveralle,  that  he  felt  as 
though  he  had  been  neglected — ihat  he  had  not  received 
the  suppart  3.Qd  patronage  which  he  deserved,  which  I  have 
reason  to  fear  was  too  true." 

Now  how  was  all  this  clearly  discovered  ?     He  does  not 

pi««tttiid  that  I  said  so,  but  admits  that  I  assigned  other  rea- 


SXAHIJVED   AJ(D  EEPSt.i.SO.  35 

>oDS  ifl  abniidajQce  for  my  "  disquietude."     Y«l  ht  dlscor- 

srs  clearly^  that  such  reasons  as  1. assigned  could  aotreally 
be  the  true  cause  of  any  disquietude'in  the  mind  of  a  uni- 
^ersaUst  preacher  !  And  since  ray  mind  was  disquieted,  he 
"  clearly  discovers''  that  I  did  not  receive  the  support  which 
[  deserved  I !  He  does  not  inform  us  whether  he  made  this 
*  clear  discovery"  with  a  telescope  or  a  microscope  ;  or 
ivhether  he  concluded,  that,  because  I  was  a  universalitt 
jreacher,  therefore,  I  could  not  possibly  care  for  any  thing 
?lse,  but  "  patronage  and  support."  I  do  not  mean  **  by 
my  means  to  insinuate  that"  patronage  and  support  ar« 
he  sole  end  and  aim  of  all  his  actions,  and  how  he  should 
nake  such  clear  discoveries  about  others,  I  cannot  tell. 

Men  seem  to  have  two  objects  in  persuading  their  friends 
:hat  my  reasons  for  renouncing  universalism  are  not  what 
[  allege.  1.  This  would  counteract  the  effects  of  my  Ro- 
aunciation  upon  the  honest  and  candid  part  ofuniversa- 
ists;  and  2.  This  would  admonish  them  to  give  more,  and 
support  the  rest  of  the  preachers  better.  It  may  be  "te- 
merity," however,  to  insinuate  that  these  heralds  of  "  ben- 
svolence,  and  love,  and  charity,  and  good  will"  can  possi- 
jly  have  any  regard  to  their  own  interests,  or  even  to  **the 
recompense  of  reward."     He  adds, 

*'Br.  Todd  had  conducted  his  paper  with  much  abihty 
rad  faithfulness,  especially  wnfi/  the  latter  part  of  it.'* 

Br.  Stacy  then  was  well  pleased  with  the  paper,  until  th« 
laffer  part  of  it.  Compare  this  with  his  remark  in  the 
»ame  report,  where  speaking  of  the  rumours  that  I  had 
changed  my  views,  he  says,  "  but  they  at  length  assumed 
i  cast,  which,  together  with  the  evident  change  in  the  marcU 
wmplexion  of  his  paper,  (the  Genius  of  Liberty)  entitled 
;hem  to  some  notice."  Now  let  us  inquire  what  this  *'  ev- 
ident change  in  the  moral  complexion  of  my  paper"  was  ? 
Why — I  had  written  and  published  a  number  of  sermon* 
md  essays  against  profane  swearing,  gambling,  intemper- 
iQce,  ani  other  victs  ;  and  had  urged  the  necessity  and  im- 


98  AJtr39Aioss  or  Si'vivciisAi.itr* 

portaace  of  pietj,  ten  times  more  for  the  laft  the  mootfas 
than  formerly.     Besides,  I  had  been  publishing  •'  a  vindi- 
cation of  religion"  against  infidelity.    A  few  consciencious, 
sincere  subscribers  expressed   much  satisfaction  with  the 
**  evident  change  in  the  moral  complexion  of  the  paper." 
But  many  subscribers  were  not  pleased  with  it.     And  I  am 
sorry  Mr.  Stacy  has  informed  us,  that  "  he  conducted  his 
paper  with  much  ability  and  faithfulness,  especially  until  the 
latter  part  ofity    1  think  he  must  have  been  absent  mind- 
«d  when  h©  wrote  that ;  for  I  cannot  believe  he   really 
thought  the  latter  part  of  the  paper,  after  the  "  evident 
change"  worse  than  before.     To  finish  with  Mr.  Stacy,  I 
think  him  a  very  good  sort  of  a  man.     I  think  him  blind 
with  opinional  zeal,  so  that  he  does  not  see  the  religiout 
character  of  his  party  as  dark  as  it  really  is.     But  I  have 
conversed  with  him  too  muoh  not   to    know  that  he  has 
seen,  acknowledged,   and  regretted,  that  they  were  not 
generally  much  like   christians.     I  think  he  would  like  to 
see  Christianity,  in  his  sense  of  it,  prevail,  with  all  its  morai 
principles  and  blessings.     Some  say  he  has  told  in  some 
places,  that  I  have  been  employed  to  write  for  the  metho- 
dists  at  a  great  salary.     But  I  do  not  believe  it  possible,  as 
he  told  me  he  had  not  a  doubt  of  my  honesty  in  this  change, 
and  he  has  told  some  others  the  same.    Instance,  Rev.  Mr. 
Choich,  christian  preacher. 


EXAMI!<ED  AlfD    REFIELLED.  37 

Review  of  the  Renunciation  by  Rev.  D.  Skinner,  Editor  of 
Magazine  and  Advocate,  of  Utica,  (N.  Y.)  reviewed. — (Set 
Mag.Sfc.  Vol.  A,  No.S2.) 

"  Because  thy  rage  against  me',  and  thy  tumult  is  come  up  into 
mine  ears,  therefore,  I  will  put  my  hook  in  thy  nose,  and  my  bridle 
to  thy  lips,  and  I  will  turn  thee  back  by  the  way  by  which  thou 
earnest." — 2  Kings,  xix.  2S. 

In  examining  such  an  article  as  Mr.  Skinner's,  I  cannot 
well  avoid  making  the  author  look  sometimes  rather  disa- 
greeable ;  but  if  the  mirror  is  unpleasant  to  him,  let  him 
reflect,  that  he  made  it  necessary,  by  an  unprovoked  attack. 
I  shall  take  extracts  from  his  review  for  my  texts  in  his  own 
words,  and  not  what  somebody  fia?/s  he  said!  He  introdu^ 
ces  his  subject  by  giving  a  number  of  reasons  why  he  has 
not  remarked  on  the  Renunciation  before,  one  of  which 
was,  that  they  "  wished  to  procure  certain  facts  to  commu- 
nicate to  the  publick  in  connexion  with  their  remarks — par- 
ticularly ^.written  statement  from  Br.  Stacy  of  the  conver- 
sation he  had  with  Mr.  Todd."  This  he  "  wished  to  pro- 
cure !"  This  he  waited  for !  what  does  this  look  like  but 
the  putting  together  of  heads — the  '*  mustering  of  the  hosts 
for  battle" — the  contriving  for  common  defence.  Hence 
we  need  not  wonder  at  the  unseemly  birth  after  this  agony 
of  labour.  We  need  not  marvel  at  the  "  unsubstantial 
nothings"  conjured  into  being — the  perfect  abortion  of 
"dreamy  visions"  with  scarcely  a  "local  habitation  or  a 
name."  He  then  goes  on  to  tell  what  he  used  to  think  of 
me : 

"With Mr.  T.  personally  we  were  but  little  acquainted, 
having  never  seen  him  but  once,  and  then  at  the  time  of  his 
ordination,  and  having  never  heard  him  preach.  We  had, 
however,  formed  a  very  favourable  opinion  of  him  from  the 
reports  we  heard,  ?cc\  particularly  from  his  writings.  We 
have  always  esteemed  him  a  chaste,  dignified  and  good 
writer ;  and  been  well  pleased  with  the  tone  and  manage- 
ment of  his  paper,  till  within  a  very  few  weeks  of  its  close. 
We  were,  therefore^  the  more  surprised  at  the  unexpected 
appearance  and  the  strange  and  unwonted  style  of  his  re- 
nunciation." 

4 


3o  ASPKEBlO.fl    OF  U."<irBKSALIST8 

So  much  the  good  editor  says  of  his  views  before  the  Re- 
nunciation. But  by  passing  in  review-  his  review  of  the 
same,  "  as  briefly  as  is  consistent  with  a  notice  of  its  most 
prominent  characteristicks  and  statements,"  we  shall  see 
how  vast  a  change  that  charitable  Renunciation  wrought 
in  his  mind. 

He  wastes  his  first  paragraph  by  telling  how  zealous  I 
represented  myselt  to  have  been,  and  then  accused  uni- 
▼ersalists  generally  of  being  indifferent  to  their  religi6n  ; 
and  tauntingly  asks,  "  was  there  never  a  sincere  or  real 
universalist  but  L.  C.  Todd  ?"  Yes — without  doubt,  and 
no  man  can  find  the  least  insinuation  in  the  Renunciation, 
that  there  aie  not  other  real  and  sincere  universalists. — 
When  I  speak  of  universalists  generally,  I  mean  all  that 
take  that  name  before  the  publick.  Making  a  few  excep- 
tions, I  still  say,  that  I  have  all  the  evidence  that  such  a 
ease  admits  of,  that  a  great  majority  of  the  called  universa- 
lists are  so  unfriendly  to  religion,  that  they  would  do  ten 
times  more  to  destroy  all  religion  than  to  support  any. — 
They  will  support  universalism,  but  not  as  religion,  nor 
for  religion,  but  for  the  purpose  of  destroying  religion,  as 
it  actually  does,  to  a  great  extent  wherever  it  prevails. 
Many  of  them  have  told  me  so.  Mr.  Skinner  affected  to 
marvel  that  I  could  have  had  inducements  of  a  pecuniary 
kind,  as  a  promulgator  of  universalism  far  greater  than  I 
can  ever  expect  from  any  othe^  connexion  if  they  are  8o 
indifferent  to  religion.  Strange  indeed  that  there  can  be 
no  inducements  of  that  kind  held  out  except  by  a  religious 
people!  There  may  be  great  pecuniary  inducements  now 
for  atheistical  works — are  atheists,  therefore,  a  very  reli- 
gious people?  They  are  just  as  religious  as  this  speci- 
men of  Mr.  Skinner's  wit  is  rational.  There  are  some,  very 
few,  real  universalists,  who  will  pay  from  principle — there 
are,  besides.  Atheists,  Deists,  Gamblers,  Drunkards,  and 
most  all  the  opposers  of  religion  who  are  pleased  with  uni- 
vdrsalism,  and  tak«  that  name.     All  these  will  pay  for  it. 


M  the  surMt  wny  to  do  away  religion.  Moat  of  the  support, 
rsceived  by  universalist  preachers,  is  not  paid  them  for 
the  purpose  of  promoting  religion  in  the  world  ;  but  for 
the  purpose  of  smoothly  and  imperceptibly  overthrowing 
the  christian  religion.  Professed  universalists  generally 
know  these  remarks  true  ;  and  the  candid  of  them  will  own 
it.  -For  this  reason  the  scattered  number  of  talented  uni- 
versalist preachers  may  do  well  in  a  pecuniary  sense,  not- 
withstanding the  universally  known  indifference  of  profes- 
sed universalists  to  religion.  He  begins  his  second  par- 
agraph, 

"  Some  years  ago,  his  ardour  cooled,  his  zeal  diminish- 
td,  he  lost  his  faith  or  the  most  of  it,  became  skeptical;  his 
mind  was  awfully  contaminated  with  the  sweeping  and  ru- 
inous principles  of  Frances  Wright.  He  "  had  only  a 
cold,  dark  and  inefficient  faith  in  any"  religion  ;  and  "  was 
at  times  so'extreraely  unhappy  as  almost  to  wish  for  death." 
6uch  he  describes  the  state  of  his  mind  to  have  been /or 
^ears.''^ 

This  is  a  palpable  perversion  of  my  words,  by  mixing  up 
parts  of  sentences,  and  putting  together,  and  adding  as  oe- 
casion  required.  This  is  a  fair  specimen  of  that  charity  for 
which  these  men  claim  such  pre-eminent  distinction. 

I  did  not  say  that  my  ardour  cooled,  and  that  I  lost  my 
faith  or  the  most  of  it  "some  years  ago."  But  "some 
years  since,  I  occasionaZZi/ reflected  that  although  the  doc- 
trine had  spread  much  faster  than  I  had  anticipated,  it  did 
not  seem  to  produce  the  effects  I  had  expected."  That  is 
what  I  said  took  place  some  years  ago.  That  circumstance 
and  not  infidelity  cooled  my  ardour,  so  that  for  some  years 
I  cared  not  whether  I  preached  much  or  not.  Yet  I  had 
not  "  lost  my  faith  nor  the  most  of  it."  No,  all  this  exis- 
ted/or  i/ear5  before  I  lost  any  part  of  my  faith.  But  it 
was  "  in  this  state  of  mind"  at  a  certain  time  that  "I  was 
much  inclined  to  doubt  divine  revelation."  It  is  true,  I 
thought  universalism  the  bible  doctrine,  and  thought  uni- 
TflifMkligm  did   iit-tie  ©r   bo  good  ;  nvtd  therefore   for  «  liiik 


40  ASPERSIONS  OF    UltlVERSALlflTi 

time  felt  my  confideDce  in  revelation  shaken.  It  was  then 
that  I  read  some  of  the  infidel  writings  of  New-York  ;  and 
by  reading  did  not  begin  to  doubt  the  existence  of  a  God,  (in- 
deed they  wrote  but  little  on  that  point}  but  to  doubt  the  ne- 
cessity and  worth  of  religiop.  It  was  the  same  time  that  '*  a^ 
^  first  my  mind  was  awfully  contaminated  with  the  sweeping 
and  ruinous  principles"  that  I  had  only  a  cold,  dark,  and 
inefficient  faith  in  any  religion"  that  I  was  so  extremely 
unhappy,"  &c.  Of  course  ivlien  I  wrote  my  Renunciation, 
*' such  was  my  state  of  mind  about  two  years  ago.^'  Not 
for  or  during  two  or  many  years,  as  these  clear  headed  edi- 
tors can  alone  understand  ;  but  only  for  di  few  weeks  instead 
of  years!  After  a  few  weeks  in  this  state  of  mind,  as  I 
said,  "  I  saw  the  vortex  into  which  such  principles  must  in- 
evitably draw  mankind"  and  fled  i'-oin  them  with  horrour. 
How  does  your  twisting  and  fangling  look  now  Mr.  Skin- 
ner ?  And  so  far  from  "  preaching  and  imposing  on  an 
unsuspecting  publick  with  a  clear  conscience  so  long,"  (as 
he  says  in  the  same  paragraph,)  1  did  not  preach  a  single 
discourse  during  the  whole  of  the  time.  And  so  far  from 
imposing  on  any  body,  I  always  expressed  as  many  doubts 
as  existed.  And  never  found  professed  universalists  to  love 
me  any  less  for  the  expression  of  such  doubts.  No — Mr. 
Skinner,  after  all  your  serpent  cunning  to  make  me  say 
what  I  never  did  say — and  your  aifected  sensibihty  on  the 
subject  of  hypocrisy  and  skepticism — these  are  articles 
about  which  you  should  be  still  as  possible.  Had  I  been  a 
skeptick  and  hypocrite  I  might  now  have  been  a  professor 
of  universalism,  in  the  "full  tide  of  successful  experi- 
ment," not  to  say,  like  yourself.     Again  : 

"  Within  a  (ew  days  past  we  have  learned  that  he  wrote, 
some  time  since,  to  his  friends  in  Salisbury  (his  former  res- 
idence) that  he  had  done  preaching,  but  had  not  done  pray- 
ing ;  he  prayed  to  God,  if  there  was  a  God,  to  save  his  soul, 
if  he  hud  a  soulT'  And  yet  this  same  doubter  has  been  all 
this  time  palming  himself  ofl' upon  the  publick  as  a  sincere 
believer  ija  universalism." 


KXAMirfED  Ar<D  KEPSLLXB.  41 

J86Tdflt«en  years  ago,  I  wrote  a  letter  to  my  father,  in 
which  I  referred  to  my  unsettled  state  of  mind  on  the  sub- 
ject of  religion.  And  as  a  jest  upon  myself  quoted  an  ex- 
pression, which  I  had  heard  of  a  certain  general  making  in 
reference  to  his  own  mind.  The  expression  was  some  like 
the  one  above  referred  to.  Awful !  This  is  worse  than 
the  story  of  the  "  three  black  crows."  Now  what  charit- 
able, sweet  little  souls  these  co-workers  must  possess,  who 
have  reiterated  that  matter  over  so  much  before  the  world  ! 
Their  appetite  for  such  things  is  even  equal  to  that  of  the 
famished  hyena,  who  digs  into  the  grave,  that  it  may  feed 
on  corruption  and  death.  So  this  editor  and  his  fellow 
labourers  plunge  through  the  lapse  of  seventeen  years,  and 
seize  upon  that  expression — they  drag  it  from  the  grave 
of  oblivion,  and  gaze  upon  it  with  frantick  exultation  !  Af- 
ter partially  cooking  up  the  precious  morsel  among  them- 
selves, they  devour  it  a  number  of  times  over,  and  then 
send  it  out,  to  be  eaten  by  their  hungry  readers,  as  some- 
thing entirely  fresh  and  new  !  The  people  are  cautioned 
against  sacli  food ;  for  though  it  may  not  produce  the  chol- 
era, it  is  evidently  infected  strongly  with  hydrophobia.  By 
this  means  they  make  me  out  not  to  know  certain  that  there 
was  a  God  or  soul ;  but  believed  both  so  much  as  to  pray  to 
one  for  the  salvation  of  the  other  !  What  an  awful  thing  I 
A  pitty  all  do  not  believe  enough  to  induce  them  to  pray ! 
They  also  would  have  me  "all  this  time  palming  himself 
off  as  a  sincere  believer  in  universalism,"  and  yet  they  make 
the  same  deceiver  all  the  time  telling  of  his  doubts  !  They 
make  out  a  very  honest  deceiver  after  all ;  even  when  they 
enjoy  the  privilege  to  make  the  whole  concern  themselves! 
He  adds  : 

"  Yes,  and  with  all  this  array  of  facts  and  confessions,  on 
his  part,  he  has  the  unblushing  effrontery  to  accuse  usi- 
rersalists,  (on  whom  he  has  so  long  been  imposing)  of 
using  the  Bible  "as  a  kind  of  popular  mantle  in  which  to 
dress  up  a  systemof  palpable  infidelity." 

There  are  two  things  in  relation  to  this  that  alter  its  com- 

4* 


42  ASPERSIOI^S  OF    U:?fIVEBSAI)ISTS 

plexion,  some.  1.  There  is  no  such  array  of  facts  and  con- 
fessions against  me  ;  but  only  the  contemptible  fabrications 
of  men,  who  had  the  "unblushing  effrontery"  to,  make 
them ;  whose  very  trade  is  misrepresentation ;  whose  in- 
terest is  falsehood  ;  whose  tools  are  sophistry  and  slander  ; 
and  whose  object  seems  to  be  to  destroy  religion,  and  bring 
the  blessings  of  infideUty  upon  our  country.  2.  I  did  not 
accuse  the  universalists  "  of  only  using  the  Bible  as  a  kind 
of  popular  mantle,"  &c.  I  said  "I  certainly  think  it 
would  be  fairer  for  them  to  say  that  they  do  not  regard  the 
unvarnished  sense  of  the  Bible  at  all,  and  only  used  it,"  &c. 
But  I  accused  them  of  no  deception.  They  scarcely  pre- 
tend to  believe  any  thing  more  of  the  Bible  than  its  varn- 
ished sense.  Many  parts  of  it  must  be  varnished  over  with 
many  "  reasonings"  before  their  sense  of  them  will  begin 
to  appear.  As  to  their  using  it  as  a  popular  mantle  for 
their  principles,  I  did  think  it  would  be  fairer  for  them  to 
say  so  ;  for  certainly  men  might  come  to  the  same  conclu- 
sions and  find  out  the  same  principles  more  directly  by 
reading  Thomas  Paine,  and  other  infidel  writers. 

They  seem  to  be  very  sensitive  on  the  subject  of  sincer- 
ity. In  the  Renunciation,  I  admitted  their  honesty,  be- 
cause I  believed  some  of  them  to  be  so  and  did  not  wish 
to  question  that  of  any.  I  declared  that  I  would  not  speak 
harshly  of  them — that  I  only  wished  to  speak  of  the  gen- 
eral effects  of  their  doctrine.  Yet  they  claim  to  have  been 
accused  of  insincerity  !  Have  they  mistaken  the  accusa- 
tions of  conscience  for  something  they  fancied  they  saw  in 
my  Renunciation  ?  Perhaps  1  appear  to  them  in  the  midst 
of  their  horrible  dreams,  and  accuse  them  of  insincerity  ! 
Well,  I  cannot  help  their  dreams,  only  to  refer  them  to 
the  words  of  Christ,  "  come  unto  me,  ell  ye  that  labour, 
and  aie  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest."  Speaking 
of  Dr.  Stedman  and  myself,  he  says, 

"  As  one  extreme  follows  another  it  is  no  marvel  that  they 
should  both  emi^rsta  noavlv  at  fhe  same  lime,  (ahont  thrti 


EXAMINED  ANJ)  REPELLED.  43 

years  apart,)  from  the  cold  and  frosty  regions  of  infidelity, 
to  the  torrid  zone  of  enthusiasm  and  fanaticism." 

This,  indeed,  Mr.  Skinner  6aid,  in  the  plenitude  of  that 
unbounded  charity,  which  his  sort  of  people  (thank  God) 
only  enjoy. 

What  does  Mr.  Skinner  know  of  Dr.  Stedman  which 
makes  him  take  him  for  an  enthusiast  and  fauatick  ?  Why 
only  this — he  has  experienced  religion  and  become  a  meth- 
odist  preacher !  Every  one  therefore,  who  experiences  re- 
ligion and  becomes  a  methodist  preacher,  must  be,  in  Mr. 
Skinner's  opinion,  an  enthusiast  and  fanatick  !  Then,  Wes- 
ley, Fletcher,  Watson,  Coke,  Benson,  Clarke,  and  others, 
venerated  for  learning,  piety,  philanthropy  and  devotion  to 
the  improvement  and  well  being  of  mankind,  were  nothing 
more  than  enthusiasts  and  fanatieks !  How  these  men  of 
accredited  genius  and  worth  sink  down  into  pigmies  before 
the  superiour  splendours  of  this  effulgent  Skinner  !  They 
are  as  grasshoppers  before  this  "shining  and  burning 
light"  of  the  nineteenth  century.  Who  could  have  tho 
•*  unblushing  effrontery"  to  doubt  the  piety  of  a  man,  who 
believed  every  methodist  preacher  a  fanatick  and  enthu- 
siast? 

I  might  here  dismiss  this  paragon  of  universalist  piety 
and  charity,  as  I  have  exploded  the  whole  foundation 
of  his  review ;  but  lest  he  consider  himself  slighted — and 
think  me  unmindful  of  his  popularity  and  worth  in  the  fra- 
ternity, I  shall  indulge  him  with  a  little  farther  notice.  He 
went  to  ray  Renunciation  as  he  seems  to  go  to  the  Bible. 

1.  Determined  what  he  wished  it  to  say. 

2.  Mutilated  and  interpolated  it  till  he  made  it  say  so, 
and 

3.  Gave  it,  so  fitted  up,  such  interpretation  as  would  best 
serve  his  cause,  and  that  of  his  royrd  ma«ter.  And  all  bis 
wit,  sarcasm,  and  burlesque  are  founded  upon  such  false 
assumptions  and  interpolations.     He  says, 

*'  If  Mr.  Todd  knows  not  of  any  who  have  been  made  bef 


44  ASPXRIIU.M  OF    C.tlTBRSALIITS 

teror  benefitted  by  the  doctrine,  his  acquaintaocd  aad  9h- 
•enration  must  have  been  limited  indeed." 

At  to  this,  I  have  been  long  among  professors  ofunirer- 
Milism.  I  have  preached  many  years  among  them  ;  and 
this  not  all  in  one  place  ;  but  by  travelling  about  over  most 
parts  of  an  extensive  region  of  country  for  three  or  four 
hnndred  miles  in  extent.  I  have  sometimes  preached  one, 
two,  or  three  times  a  month,  in  a  place,  for  some  years, 
fent  most  of  my  preaching  has  been  scattered  over  the 
country,  wherever  it  was  convenient  for  me  to  go.  I  have 
had  a  great  opportunity  to  know  the  character,  views  and 
feelings  of  professed  universalists,  full  as  good  an  opporta- 
nity  as  Mr.  Skinner.  There  are  soae  but  not  many  uni- 
versalist  preachers  in  the  United  States,  that  have  had  a 
mora  extensive  opportunity  to  judge  of  the  practical  effects 
of  the  doctrine,  from  the  conduct  of  its  professors  than  my- 
self. I  have  found  worthy  and  amiable  persons  attached 
to  the  doctrine — this  is  true — but  such  ones  would  freely 
acknowledge  that  the  number  of  such  was  very  small 
•*  around  there."  They  generally  thought  its  friends  away 
off  somewhere  else  were  better;  but  I  am  satisfied  that 
their  leading  charaeteristicks  in  any  place  or  village,  are 
the  same  in  all,  or  nearly  all  places  where  they  are  to  be 
found.  As  a  general  remark,  wherever  I  went  to  promul- 
gate the  doctrine,  many  who  stood  forth  as  its  friends  were 
of  the  lower  part  of  society.  Sabbath  breakers,  religioiw 
scoffers,  tiplers,  swearers,  and  gamblers,  would  gather 
around  me  with  a  warmth  bordering  on  devotion.  They 
found  little  to  please  them,  however,  in  my  preaching,  ex- 
cept the  doctrine  ;  and  often  when  1  pointed  out  these  vice* 
in  all  their  blackness  to  them,  they  would  be  offended  ;  say 
J  wa«  bad  as  the  orthodox  ;  and  swear  they  wanted  univeT- 
salism,  and  not  any  of  such  *'  reformation  stuff,"  aad  the 
like.  Often  have  I  been  accosted  in  company,  by  men, 
reeling  under  their  load  of  strong  drink,  who  have  held  me 
by  the  hand,  to  hear  their  a!«surances  of  applause,  affection. 


EXAMINED  AND  REPELLED.  45 

and  good  will ;  and  to  hear  them  descant  upon  the  "glo- 
rious plan  of  universal  salvation,"  the  "  boundless  extent 
of  divine  love,"  and  to  adduce  their  reasons  "  strong  as 
holy  writ,"  to  prove  the  truth  of  that  sentiment,  and  the 
folly  of  every  thing  else,  till  pale  with  disgust,  or  suffused 
with  shame,  or  half  suffocated  with  their  breath,  I  have 
forced  myself  away.  Thank  God,  I  ha.ve  got  away.  Such 
fellows  now  keep  at  a  proper  distance.  I  can  only  hear 
the  distant  rumbling  of  their  chagrin,  echoing  to  the  inco- 
herent murmurs  of  universalist  and  infidel  papers.  Again, 
say»  the  editor, 

"  We  challenge  Mr.  T.  or  any  other  man  to  say,  that 
universalists  would  not  be  good,  r.nd  pious,  and  truly  reli- 
gious, if  they  lived  up  to  what  their  theory  teashes,  and  their 
faith  requires.'''' 

Yes,  indeed,  universalists  would  be  good,  if  they  were 
ao  ;  and  pious,  i/they  lived  so  ;  and  truly  religious,  i/they 
would  be !  They  have  adopted  into  their  trteory  all  the  true 
practical  religion  of  other  sects.  But  it  is  one  thing  to 
know  in  theory  how  we  should  do  and  another  to  have  a 
disposition  in  fractice  to  do  it.  Universalism  teaches  men 
enough  how  they  ought  to  live ;  and  would  answer  the  pur- 
pose very  well,  if  all  men  were  so  good,  that  they  would 
do  as  well  as  they  knew ;  but  they  are  not  so.  Men  are  not 
good  enough  to  do  alsvays  as  well  as  they  know.  Strong 
and  powerful  passions  and  temptations  beset  them  in  this 
world,  and  unless  they  are  overawed  with  the  dread  of  fu- 
ture retribution,  they  will,  many  of  them  at  least,  yield  to 
these  besetments.  Mr.  Skinner  speaks  of  *'  the  wars  which 
the  doctrine  of  endless  punishment  has  fomented  ;  the 
persecutions  it  has  instigated  ;  the  insanity  it  has  produ- 
ced," &c. 

We  deny  the  evidence  of  such  facts.  Men,  believing  in 
endless  punishment,  have  engaged  in  wars  and  persecutions; 
but  does  that  prove,  that  such  belief  caused  them  to  do  so; 
or  that  the  doctrine,  in  Mr.  Skinner's  words,  **  should  now 
be  eonsign«d  to  the  tomb  of  the  Capulets  ?"     Theso  same 


■40  ASPSRSioKi  or  VKiriKHAhit'tt 

men  also  beliered  in  a  God;  wa«  therefore  the  belief  in  %Qoel 
the  cause  of  their  wars  and  persecutions  ?  And  must  that 
belief  also  be  consigned  to  the  "tomb  of  the  Capulets?" 
The  editor  professes  to  believe  in  a  C-lod,  notwithstanding 
men  eo  believing  have  warred,  and  persecuted  each  other. 
Do«8  he  really  mean  to  consign  all  faith  to  *'  the  tomb  ©f 
the  Capulets"  and  be  an  open  atheist  ? 

The  fact  is  this,  a  disposition  to  war  and  persecution  hss 
its  source  in  the  selfishness  and  passions  of  men.  In  the 
ages  of  intolerance  and  religious  persecation,  the  populace 
were  taught  to  believe  that  jiersecution  for  opinion  was 
right.  It  all  originated  with  ambitious,  and  atheistical 
priests  and  potentates,  who  feared  not  God,  and  who  aroused 
and  inflamed  the  dark  passions  of  the  populace,  and  blew 
np  the  flame  of  persecution,  under  the  impression  that  it 
was  right.  But  no  believer  in  endless  punishment  would 
ever  have  dared  to  do  snch  things,  had  he  not  first  been 
persuaded  it  was  right.  That  doctrine  will  not  restrain 
men  from  doing  what  they  conceive  to  be  duty;  but  what 
they  know  to  be  wrong,  it  has  a  powerful  tendency  to  pre- 
vent. Had  men  in  those  days  been  properly  taught  the 
rights  of  conscience,  they  would  not  have  dared  to  murder 
and  persecute  as  they  did,  for  opinion. 

Mr.  Skinner  looks  up  iik3  one  just  rising  from  a  dream 
and  asks, 

"What  religious  persecutions  were  ever  commenced  and 
carried  on  to  the  death  of  individuals,  except  by  belieTers 
in  that  henrt-withering  doctrine." 

Does  it  wither  Mr.  Skinner's  heart  that  men  will  sin  and 
»ften  make  themselves  very  miserable  in  this  world  ?  If 
not,  how  comes  the  thought  so  withering,  that  men  will  sia 
and  be  miserable  in  the  coming  state?  If  the  thought  of 
human  misery  so  withers  his  heart,  let  him  stop  pouring 
oat  on  society  those  principles,  which  unbridle  the  wicked^ 
snd  scatter  crime  and  wo  over  the  statee.  Many  men  ia 
f;loomy  eells.  and  on  scaiTolds,  will  lament  his  "  ltbo»i««  »f 


XlAMl.XBi)  Al<fD    REPKLJL.SO.  47 

ior©"  with  tears  and  groans.  Many  a  weaping  wife,  dis- 
tracted mether,  and  beggared  child,  will  curse  thai  sophis- 
try, which  under  pretence  of  religion,  shook  a  husband'* 
faith,  a  father's  virtue,  and  made  him  a  fiend. 

But  who  ever  persecuted,  but  believers  in  endless  punish- 
ment ?  Did  those  Jews  who  **  killed  the  prophets  aad 
stoned  those  that  were  sent  unto  them"  believe  in  endless 
punishment  ?  No  doubt  they  did.  But  did  Jesus  know 
that  they  not  only  believed  it,  but  that  such  belief  in  thejM 
was  the  cause  of  all  their  wicked  persecutions?  If  so, 
when  he  said  so  much  to  them  about  their  ••  killing  the 
prophets"  and  so  pointedly  reproved  thera  for  their  perse- 
cutions, why  did  he  not  tell  them  as  universalists  now  do, 
that  it  was  that  ''heart-withering  doctrine"  which  mad« 
them  do  so  ?  So  far  from  it,  he  said,  "  ye  serpents,  ye 
generation  of  vipers,  how  can  you  escape  the  damnation  of 
haW:'— Math.  xxui.  33. 

Who  can  believe,  that  Jesus  knew  the  doctrine  of  end- 
less punishment  was  the  fruitful  source  of  all  the  wars  and 
persecutions  in  the  world,  and  reproved  men  for  thes* 
crimes  so  much  as  he  did,  and  yet  never  on«e  intimated 
that  it  was  that  "  heart-withering  doctrine"  which  caused 
it  all  ?  That  the  Jew?,  through  belief  in  that  sentiment, 
would  put  him  to  death  and  the  apostles,  and  thousands 
of  christians  after  him,  and  yet  never  took  any  pains  to  warn 
his  disciples,  nor  the  Jews  against  that  pernicious  senti- 
ment ! 

Again,  was  it  this  doctrine  which  made  the  enemies  of 
Christ  stone,  scourge,  and  imprison  the  apostles?  If  so, 
why  did  not  these  martyrs,  while  smarting  and  bleeding 
from  their  wounds,  never  point  out  the  eause  to  be  tliis 
doctrine,  and  warn  mankind  against  it.  So  far  from  this, 
there  was  no  dispute  about  the  doctrine  till  the  third  cen- 
tury, notwithstanding  "persecutions  and  wars"  were  cora- 
raon.  These  editors  seem  to  think  the  doctnne  of  endless 
punishment  ike  principal  evil  that  does  or  ever  has  existed 


48  ARPxasiofts  or  uiiiversalist* 

in  the  world.  That  it  was  even  so  in  the  days  of  Christ 
and  the  apostles — and  yet  I  never  knew  them  pretei:d  that 
Jesus  and  the  apostles  were  ever  very  particular  to  point 
out  tl:e  evil,  and  warn  mankind  against  its  bloody  conse- 
quences I  No  doubt  these  editors  think  themselves  ad- 
vanced in  the  science  of  moral  truth  far  beyond  Christ  and 
his  apostles!  They  doubtless  think  them  in  the  "torrid 
zone  of  enthusiasm  and  fanaticism."  What  a  pity,  it  was 
not  known  in  the  days  the  Bible  was  written,  that  the  doc- 
trine of  endless  punishment  was  the  cause  of  all  the  perse- 
cutions and  most  of  the  wars  in  the  world,  so  that  those 
writers  might  have  told  us  so ;  and  that  they  might  have 
been  more  careful  to  avoid  appearing-  to  teach  the  doctrine 
of  endless  misery,  so  much  that  most  all  their  readers 
have  really  supposed  them  to  believe  it.  Nay — all  the  wit 
and  skill  of  universalist  teachers  are  now  requisite  in 
many  cases,  to  invent  any  other  sense  for  many  of  these 
passages.  But  those  days  have  gone  by.  The  editors  are 
finding  out  secrets  that  have  been  hid  from  the  creation  of 
the  world  ;  whether  they  find  them  on  "  plates  of  gold"  or 
by  immediate  revelation,  or  by  '•  gifts  of  tongues"  we  know 
not;  but  su  e  it  is,  that  these  adventurers  will  be  entitled  to 
seats  of  high  distinction  when  their  Master  :  hall  make  up 
his  jewels.  Let  me  ask  this  immortal  Skinner^  whose  su- 
periour  knowledge  and  philanthropy  seem  to  cast  all  the 
honour  of  Christ  and  the  apostles  so  far  into  the  shade  be- 
hind, whether  the  doctrine  of  endless  punishment  was  the 
cause  of  the  Roman  Emperors  persecuting  the  christians, 
from  the  days  of  Christ  to  Constantine  ? 

Especially  let  me  ask  him,  if  the  atheists  of  France,  who, 
in  the  short  period  of  seven  years,  put  to  death  twenty 
hundred  thousand  men,  women,  and  children,  for  no  other 
crime  than  being  called  christians,  were  believers  in  the 
doctrine  of  endless  punishment  ?  Robespierre  and  his  infi- 
del party  murdered  this  amount,  including  about  twenty- 
four  thousand  clergymen,  who  were  beheaded  for  their 


religwa.  But  I  never  knew  till  this  trondrotis  editor  sug- 
gested the  idea,  that  these  infidels  believed  in  endless  pun- 
ishment! 

Let  me  here  improve  the  opportunity  to  remark,  that  in- 
fidelity in  the  United  States  is  the  same  as  in  France  ;  and 
whatever  disguise  it  may  assume,  it  is  the  same  enemy  to 
religion,  to  law,  and  to  human  happiness.  The  same  lev- 
elling monster,  which  confounds  all  the  distinctions  of  vir- 
tue and  vice  ;  seeks  for  universal  liberty,  that  it  may  in- 
dulge its  passions ;  universal  anarchy,  that  it  may  feast  up- 
on the  plunder  of  mankind;  and  for  universal  darkness, 
under  which  it  may  hide  its  crimes.  It  changes  the  names 
of  things,  calling  all  law,  despotism ;  all  religion,  priest- 
craft ;  profligacy,  liberality  ;  licentiousness,  liberty ;  and 
intolerance,  charity. 

An  admonitory  voice  rises  from  the  graves  of  martyred 
millions,  and  sigh5,alang  the  hills,  and  breathes  along  th« 
vales  of  these  United  States,  in  solemn  and  affecting  warn- 
ing. From  its  mournful  truths,  I  distinguish  this  pro- 
phetick  sentence,  '•  if  the  Gospel  is  ever  extinguish- 
ed IN  THESE  United  States,  it  will  be  done  by  the 
Devil  in  the  disguise  of  a  friend." 

That  the  doctrine  of  endless  punishment  must  be  "con- 
signed to  the  tomb  of  the  Capulets;"  because  it  produces 
insanity,  cannot  be  admitted.  People  believing  it,  some- 
times have  become  insane  from  religious  excitement,  with- 
out a  doubt.  The  huniau  mind  exists  under  infinite  variety 
of  susceptibilities.  Some  are  very  excitable  and  much  in- 
clined to  derangement  by  predisposition. 

Such  minds  are  more  easily  deranged  than  others  ;  and 
any  thing  that  has  a  strongly  exciting  power,  whether  it  be 
love,  hatred,  jealousy,  fear,  hope,  joy,  or  grief,  when 
brought  to  act  upon  them  with  full  energy,  is  apt  to  de- 
range them.  Hence,  we  might  expect  the  fear  of  future 
punishment,  fio  necessary  to  restrain  the  wicked,  would 
sometimes  have  that  effect.    But  ftar  has  no  tnoTt  teodencj 

5 


50  AlPERBIOJfS    or  DNIVERSAilSTfl 

to  derange  the  mind  than  hope.  The  hope  of  heavsn,  of 
•adless  blessedness,  has  just  as  much  power  to  derange  the 
mind  as  the /ear  of  hell.  ylZ/ those  emotions  which  reli- 
gion, in  any  of  its  forms,  has  power  to  awaken,  if  carried 
to  excess,  may  produce  insanity.  Why  is  Mr.  Skinner  so 
awfully  concerned  about  the  effects  of/ear,  which  is  about 
the  only  inlet  to  the  guilty  and  abaudoned  soul,  while  he 
giveshimself  no  uneasiness  about  the  range  of  all  other 
passions  and  emotions  ?  Or  does  he  expect  in  the  end  to 
banish  all  religion  from  the  world  ;  and  with  it  all  the  hopes 
afld  fears,  and  joys  and  sorrows,  which  it  awakens  in  differ- 
«it  conditions  of  life  ?  Let  him  not  expect,  when  the  fear 
of  hell,  and  the  hope  of  heaven,  cease  to  move  the  human 
mind,  that  its  fountains  of  feeling  and  of  action  will  be  dried 
up.  No.  There  will  then  be  a  sufficient  source  of  insan- 
ity in  the  blackening  gloom  that  will  enwrap  the  thoughts 
of  men — in  the  scenes  of  crime,  of  perfidy,  of  blood,  and 
horrcur — in  the  extinction  of  the  last  vestige  of  human 
goodness,  and  the  universal  growth  and  reign  of  all  the 
dark  passions  of  men,  hitherto  partially  chained  by  the  sol- 
emn majesty  of  religion.  No  one  has  probably  reflected 
more  upon  the  evil  of  religious  insanity  than  the  writer  of 
thase  remarks.  And  my  conclusion  is,  that  it  is  one  of 
those  evils,  which  soraetmies  will  result  from  a  good  thing. 
I  have  no  doubt,  that  most  of  the  cases  of  religious  in- 
sanity, however,  are  the  result  of  complex  causes,  and  not 
attributable  to  any  particular  point  of  doctrine.  And  a 
large  proiwrtion  of  them,  are  brought  on  by  the  injudicious 
management  of  well  meaning  but  mistaken  men.  1  will  not 
disguise  the  impression,  that  ignorant  enthusiasts  some- 
times get  into  the  ministry,  so  unacquainted  with  the  hu- 
man heart,  and  the  best  means  of  curing  souls,  that  they 
are  about  as  apt  to  drive  men  to  insanity  as  to  win  them 
to  Christ.  But  this  is  no  objection  to  the  doctrine  of  eter- 
nal retribution.  The  skilful  physician  gives  his  medicines 
ia  sueh  qaantities  and  under  such  circumstances  as  to  clear 


EXAMINED  AND  REPBLLED.  51 

and  purify  the  stomach,  throw  off  the  elements  of  disease, 
and  restore  the  patient.  The  ignorant  and  conceited  quack 
gives  the  s^me  medicine  in  such  quantities,  and  at  such 
times,  as  to  kill  the  patient !  Yet  who  will  condemn  the 
medicine  on  that  account  ?  Surgeons  in  our  country  are 
in  the  habit  of  performing  many  painful  operations,  which 
generally  eventuate  favourably  ;  but  when  unskilful  opera- 
tors undertake  they  often  kill  the  patient.  And  indeed  the 
beat  of  surgeons,  sometimes,  from  the  peculiar  nature  of 
the  case,  are  known  to  destroy  life.  On  this  account,  there 
is  A  set  o[ quacJcs  in  our  country,  that  declaim  bitterly 
ngainst  all  surgical  operations !  So  there  is  a  kind  of  reli- 
gious quackery  in  the  land,  which  affects  great  sympathy 
for  the  occasional  evils  connected  with  the  doctrine  of  fu- 
ture retribution,  but  has  no  sympathy  for  the  sufferings  re- 
sulting from  the  vices,  which  that  doctrine  would  sup- 
press— has  no  tender  heart  to  "  wither"  over  the  dissipation, 
the  licentiousness,  the  crimes,  the  murders,  the  blasted 
hopes  of  parents,  the  sighs  of  heart  broken  wives  and  hus- 
bands, the  anguish  and  misery  of  children  beggared  and 
orphaned  in  the  appalling  career  of  vice,  the  agony,  and 
tears,  and  shame  which  mark  the  footsteps  of  sin,  and  which 

©very  where  increase  and  spread  with  the  increase  and 
spread  of  universalism  and  intidelity.     I  say  universalism 

aud  irijidelity,  because  one  is  the  general  precursor  of  th« 

other.     Again  says  the  editor, 

**  If  in  some  instances  they  (the  universalists)  do  not  do 
this,  (live  pious)  the  fault  is  not  in  the  doctrine,  but  in  its 
professors." 

So  we  have  said.  We  never  pretended  the  doctrine  wm 
immoral  and  impious,  but  only  its  professors,  and  not  even 
quite  all  of  them.  We  have  never  said  there  was  any  thing 
in  the  doctrine  which  made  folks  sinful.  We  have  only 
accused  the  doctrine  o(  not  preventing  sin.  Mr.  Skinner 
has  imputed  to  me  the  idea  that  universalism  produces  sin, 
as  he  has  many  other  things  not  found  in  my  writings. — 
Oth«r  things  tend  to  corrupt  tho  heart.     Man  is  eoDStantly 


mi  AirBii8ittK8  or  u^'TirjcRaAiiiBTi 

ex})osed  to  the  contamination  of  circumetanceB  and  plaeea : 
and  unirersalism  possesses  not  the  power  to  counteract 
that  contamination.  Universalism  is  a  kind  of  philosophy 
which  entirely  orerlooks  the  real  nature  of  man.  It  may 
be  compared  to  a  harmless,  powerless  medicine,  which  a 
sick  man  takes.  His  disease  continues  and  increases.  H« 
trusts  to  the  medicine,  repeats  the  dose,  and  takes  no  other. 
At  last  he  dies.  I  come  forward  and  say,  "  the  medicine 
produced  no  effect ;  it  was  good  for  nothing,  and  far  worse ; 
for  had  it  not  been  for  this  he  would  have  taken  something 
effectual."  Oh — says  the  quack  that  prescribed  it,  **  the 
sickness  was  not  in  the  medicine  but  in  the  jxUient — the 
medicine  had  no  contagion  in  it,  but  that  was  in  the  person 
that  took  it ! !  //the  patient  had  only  got  well,  that  med- 
icine would  have  done  just  as  well  as  any  other,  as  you 
must  allow  !"  Now  this  argument  of  the  quack  would  be 
just  like  the  quackery  of  3Ir.  Skinner  in  his  "review." 
Man  has  the  element  of  sin  in  him ;  and  he  will  sin  more  or 
less,  believe  what  he  will.  No  doctrine  is  the  direct  cause 
of  sin,  but  any  doctrine  is  pernicious  which  shuts  out  oth- 
ers, and  does  no  good  itself,  by  restraining  wickedness.  I 
complain  not  of  universalism  because  it  makes  any  body 
bad  ;  but  because  it  makes  no  body  good,  who  would  not  be 
good  without  any  doctrine,  having,  riierefore,  about  the 
same  bearing  on  morality  that  any  other  species  of  infidel- 
ity would  have.     But  hear  bim  again  : 

"  The  views  and  feelings  and  spirit  harboured  by  Mr.  T. 
previous  to  his  Renunciation,  by  his  own  account,  were  en- 
tirely foreign  from  those  of  the  true  universalist.  For  he 
says  his  "  jjrejudices  were  so  strong  against  the  orthodox 
generally,  that  ho  misapprehended  many  of  their  sentiments, 
and  believed  them  all  either  very  ignorant,  or  unprincipled 
hypocrites — he  had  certainly  supposed  that  presbyterian 
clergymen  were  the  most  unprincipled  men  in  the  world, 
though  from  their  superiour  literary  attainroen-ts,  he  did 
not  hold  them  in  such  perfect  contempt  as  he  did  the  meth- 
odist  clergy."  No  wonder  if  such  were  his  feelings  and 
such  the  spirit  he  indulged  towards  other  denominations 
that  conscience  reproved  him  when  he  learned  hit  ©rroKr ; 


SXAMINKD  AND  REPSX.UEO.  53 

(ox  he  rras  not  only  in  the  gall  of  bitterness  but  in  the  bonda 
of  iniquity  !^and  harboured  a  spirit  directly  contrary  to  that 
of  universalism;  which  of  all  doctrines  and  principles  re- 
quires the  most  chanty,  and  inculcates  it  as  the  bond  of  per- 
fectness,  as  the  main  principle  which  assimilates  us  to  God, 
and  produces  peace  on  earth  and  good  will  to  man." 

All  this  is  finely  said.  Let  us  look  at  it.  When  young 
and  ignorant  I  became  a  universalist.  Universalist  teachers 
and  books  soon  assimilated  my  spirit  to  theirs.  They 
made  me  too  prejudiced  to  read  much  else,  or  to  get  ae- 
quainted  much  with  my  religious  opponents.  Hence  I 
formed  my  notions  of  the  orthodox,  principally  from  the 
writings  and  representations  of  universalists.  This  is  the 
reason  exactly  why  I  supposed  most  of  the  orthodox  were 
very  ignorant,  especially  in  religious  matters;  and  that 
many  of  their  more  knowing  ones  were  hypocritical  and 
unprincipled.  Such  are  the  representations  given  them 
by  universalists  generally,  as  all  the  world  knows.  Yes — 
and  Mr.  Skinner's  paper  (with  all  his  *' bond  of  perfect- 
ness")  is  full  as  bad  as  any  of  them.  This  same  opinion, 
feelings,  and  spirit,  bad  as  they  are,  were  the  result  of  a 
universalist  education  ;  and  they  are  spread  out  in  bold  re- 
lief in  almost  every  work  published  by  the  sect  through  the 
country.  This  is  a  fact  so  well  known  to  the  whole  com- 
munity, that  there  are  but  few  among  universalists  them- 
selves, so  abandoned  to  all  sense  of  truth  as  to  deny  it. 

Nay,  did  not  this  very  Skinner,  in  the  very  article  now  un- 
der consideration,  attribute  all  the  persecution  in  the  world 
to  the  doctrine  of  his  opponents  ?  Did  he  not  also  let  out 
bio'  contempt  toward  the  methodist  clergy  by  isisinuating 
that  they  are  all  in  the  *'  torrid  zone  of  enthusiasm  and  fan- 
aticism ?"  Is  it  not  his  very  business,  by  which  he  makes 
his  thousands  a  year,  to  caricature  the  friends  of  religioK, 
and  hold  them  up  to  publick  contempt;  and  with  ruthles« 
hand,  to  assail  every  eflfort  of  the  christian  community,  to 
snatain  and  spread  its  energies  in  the  land  ?  Yet  ho  now 
talks  prettily  about  **feelings  towards  other  denominations !" 
Jt»t  as  if  he,  forfooth,  bad  feelings  of  charity  towards  Gtb«r 


M  AifKBAioisa  or  t;?rivKR8Ai.ieT« 

denominations  !  How  sweetly  this  charitable  creature 
prates  about  "feelings  towards  other  denominatioBS,"  and 
"  charity,"  and  the  "  bond  of  perfectness  ;"  and  all  that, 
in  an  article  written  for  the  express  purpose  of  perverting 
a  man's  words  and  making  him  look  ridiculous,  for  the 
sole  crime  of  changing  his  sentiments  !  It  is  like  the  story 
of  the  pirate,  strutting  upon  deck,  in  the  midst  of  blood 
and  death,  and  his  saber  smoking  in  his  hand,  bawling  out 
— M  E  RC  Y  !     iVJiat  mtrc  If  id  feelings  we  p  irates  kave  ! 

He  seems  to  think  it  no  wonder  that  my  preaching  did 
not  make  men  better  as  I  indulged  such  a  spirit  towards 
other  denominations.  The  publick  where  I  laboured  will 
bear  witness  that  I  was  generally  called  much  more  mild 
in  my  preaching  towards  other  denominations,  than  most 
other  universalist  preachers.  This  was  frequently  said, 
especially  for  a  number  of  the  last  years  of  my  ministry. 
Indeed  many  will  testify  that  some  universalists  occasioo- 
slly  found  fault,  that  I  was  not  severe  enough  upon  the  or- 
thodox ;  and  preached  too  much  on  practice.  Many  have 
told  me  of  hearing  such  remarks  from  them.  I  have  been 
reproved  to  my  face  for  preaching  against  intemperance ; 
and  told,  that  they  wanted  me  to  preach  agamst  the  ortho- 
dox, and  not  on  such  subjects.  But  my  writings  were  gen- 
erally doctrinal,  and  far  more  uncharitable  than  my  preach- 
ing. My  views  and  spirit  towards  other  denominations 
were  frequently  and  fully  given  in  ray  writings  before  they 
were  acknowledged  in  the  Renunciation.  Mr.  Skinner 
has  had  these  writings,  and  in  relation  to  them  he  says, 
*'  we  had,  however,  formed  ^  very  favourable  opinion  of  him 
from  the  reports  we  heard,  and  particularly  from  his  tori- 
tings.  We  have  always  esteemed  him  a  chaste,  dignified 
and  good  writer;  and  been  well  pleased  with  the  tone  and 
management  of  his  paper,  till  within  a  very  few  weeks  of  its 
close."  So  it  seems  all  my  uncharitable  spirit,  so  "  foreign 
from  that  of  the  true  universalist"  pleased  him  well ;  and  gave 
him  a  very  favonrable  opinion  of  me,  until  he  saw  the  cor- 


IXAUINKD  AI^D    RETELLKD.  IK) 

f©6€ioQ  of  Kin  tha  Renonciatiou  !  Does  not  this  show 
that  it  was  not  the  sin,  but  the  confession  which  offends 
hinn? 

Let  these  men  boast  of  their  charity;  I  know  the  doc- 
trine they  profess  requires  the  exercise  of  charity — so  does 
Christianity  in  all  its  forms.  But  I  have  read  ten  periodical 
universalist  papers,  for  two  years;  and  the  sarcasm  and 
malignity  running  through  those  papers,  against  everything 
but  their  own  interests,  had  a  powerful  tendency  in  open- 
ing my  eyes,  and  convincing  me,  that  there  was  little  or  no 
religion  among  them.  I  admit  there  are  exceptions  in  part 
among  them,  "but  as  there  are  only  exceptions,"  to  u$« 
the  language  of  one  of  their  scribes,  these  men  should  bo 
the  last  in  the  world  to  take  the  sacred  name  of  charity  in- 
to their  lips. 

Alluding  to  ray  referenco  to  Professor  Stuart's  work  oo 
the  original  words  applied  in  the  Bible  to  rewards  and  pun- 
ishments, he  says, 

'•But  why  does  he  go  to  Professor  Stuart,  instead  of  tho 
Bible,  for  this  information?  Ah  !  the  reason  is  obvious — 
the  Bible  does  not  contain  any -such  information!" 

Every  one,  who  reads  the  Renunciation,  knows  that  I 
referred  to  Stuart's  work  for  proof,  that  the  original  words 
m  the  Bible  do  teach  the  equal  duration  of  future  rewards 
and  punishments.  The  same  as  Mr.  Skinner  or  any  body 
else  quotes  the  authority  of  authors  for  proof  6f  the  mtajt- 
ing  of  words  in  the  Bible.  But  this  miserable  pervek"- 
sion  of  my  words  is  but  another  specimen  of  his  forgetful- 
ness  of  candour  and  truth.  Can  such  a  man  interpret  the 
Bible?  Has  it  come  to  this,  that  those  who  cannot  review 
a  short  plain  article,  without  perverting  its  m;^o^6  import 
and  spirit,  are  now  to  stand  up  before  the  world,  as  the  on- 
ly true  interpreters  of  Christ  and  the  Apostles  ?  Agaia 
hear  him. 

•'He  expects  universalists  will  'come  out  with  a  ven- 
geance upon  him  for  saying  so  much,*  that  they  will  •  as- 
sail his  motives,'  imputing  mercenary  motives  to  him,  th« 


bS  ASPXR3I0M   OF    VirirERSALiSTf 

love  of  money,  the  love  of  popuiaritj,  &c.  &c.  But  wiiy 
did  he  expect  this?  Did  conscience  tell  hira  he  was  ob- 
Boxious  to  those  charges  and  justly  deserved  to  be  thus  ac- 
cused? Did  conscience  whisper  him  that  his  character 
and  motives  would  be  rightly  appreciated,  if  thus  under- 
stood ?" 

I  did  not  say  ''universalists  trill  come  out  with  a  ven- 
geance upon  me."  I  said  "they  ma^"  do  it;  audit  bas 
happened  even  so.  I  did  noi  say  that  universalists  would 
assail  my  motives,  imputing  to  me  a  love  of  money,  popu- 
larity, &c.  No.  This  statement  of  his,  as  well  as  all  his 
inferences  from  it  about  "conscience,"  &c.are  only  soma 
of  his  troublesome  dreams  that  seem  to  haunt  his  imagina- 
tion. I  did  say,  "  those  whose  friendship  is  worth  retaining 
trill  not  be  the  less  friendly  because  I  pursue  the  course 
which  my  judgement  dictates  and  ray  conscience  approves-" 
Of  course  I  did  not  expect  to  be  assailed  by  universalists 
who  were  worthy  of  any  notice  ;  and  admitted  there  were 
fioch.  I  did  say,  •'  From  what  I  have  already  seen  andheard, 
I  have  reason  to  expect  my  motives  will  he  assailed.*'  I  was 
eareful  not  to  "forestall  the  feelings  and  conduct  of  univer- 
salists on  this  subject,  much  less  to  provoke  their  resent- 
ment, by  attributing  to  them  an  uncharitable  and  pcrsecn- 
thjg  spirit,  before  1  knew  how  they  would  treat  me,"  as  Mr. 
Skinner  accuses  me  in  the  same  article.  And  I  was  car^ 
fttl  to  explain,  what  Jdnd  ofTOen  I  expected  such  imput»- 
tloaa  from,  in  the  next  words  :  "  Those  men,  whose  own 
motives  are  mercenary,  will  impute  such  to  me."  I  did 
not  say,  neither  did  I  expect  that  any  candid,  honest  unV- 
versalist  would  impute  such  motives  to  a  man  without  good 
evidence ;  and  especially  against  all  evidence,  as  in  my 
ease,  though  I  expected  many  men  of  no  honour  and  oe 
principle  would  do  so.  And  has  it  turned  out  so  ? — I  did 
say,  **  none  will  impute  to  me  such  motives  of  action,  except 
such  as  know  of  no  other  motives  of  action — that  Itave  nm 
principles — no  affections — and  thai  never  dreamed  of  doing 
a  thing  beeaase  it  was  right."     Now  let  roe  ask  Mr.  Skin- 


SXAMlIfSD  A^D   &EPJBI.I.XB. 


SIT 


per,  in  his  own  pretty  worrls,  ''Did  conscienco  tell  him 
that"  Buch  description  meant  Liraselfand  his  brethren,  and 
'♦provoked  their  resentment?"  "Did  conscience  whisper 
him  that  his  character  and  motives  would  be  rightly'''  de- 
scribed by  the  above  language?  He  asks,  *'What  reason 
had  he  to  expect  such  treatment  at  the  hands  of  universal- 
ists  ?"  We  have  already  said,  we  did  not  say  wc  expected 
it  from  universalists;  but  from  "men  of  no  principles — no 
affections — that  despise  the  Bible — that  hate  religion,"  &c. 
Mr.  Skinner  will  have  it  that  these  are  universalists !  I  nev- 
er supposed  universalists  to  be  all  such  men ;  and  I  will  re- 
pel the  calumny  he  is  thus  pouring  out  upon  my  old  frienda. 
Universalists  I  am  sure  are  not  generally  so  bad  as  that. — 
1  never  intimated  that  they  were.  Though  I  have,  said  ther« 
was  but  little  piety  among  them,  and  that  their  doctrine  so 
far  as  it  is  distinguished  from  other  doctrines  was  not 
among  the  cause?  of  their  goodness.  I  will  not  dispute 
with  Mr.  Skinner,  to  be  sure,  but  it  may  be  a  proper  de- 
scription of  him — he  knows  best;  but  the  mass  of  people 
called  universalists,  were  not  meant  in  the  above  allusion, 
and  he  should  not  put  the  garment  on  them.  I  told  him 
plainly  what  reason  I  had  to  expect  that  my  motives  would 
be  assailed — ^^  From  what  I  have  already  seen  and  heard,** 
I  will  now  tell  what  it  was,  that  I  had  seen  and  heard.  For 
some  months  previous  to  ray  Renunciation,  I  was  writing 
and  publishing  a  "vindication  of  religion,"  in  the  "Genius 
of  Liberty,"  that  is,  a  proof  of  divine  revelation.  And  al- 
so some  articles  in  favour  of  temperance  and  piety,  and 
against  swearing,  gambling,  &c.  This  called  out  some  per- 
sonal abuse  from  some  worthless  fellows  iu  the  place,  who 
accused  me  to  my  face,  of  being  about  to  change  my  senti- 
raenis  ;  and  who  acknowledged  they  cared  nothing  about 
Bniversalism  only  that  it  was  a  good  thing  to  break  down 
orthodoxy  with.  Many  reports  also  came  to  my  ears  from 
the  country,  that  many  thought,  from  the  course  of  my 
fapsr,  that   I  should  shortly  renounce  univerealism  ;  »iid 


•O  ASPEASIONI  or    VSriYMlSAI.U'M 

ttiatifio,  it  would  be  for  eouie  bad  motive.  I  received 
many  letters  filled  up  with  the  grossest  abuse,  complaining 
bitterly  of  my  course  in  defending  the  scriptures;  and  •?»- 
ting  that  my  subscribers  generally  neither  expected  nor 
wanted  any  such  thing;  and  predicted  that  I  should  come 
emt  a  traitor  to  the  liberals,  &c.  A  young  man  then  living 
in  Jamestown,  and  seeing  what  was  going  on  there,  wrote 
an  article  on  it,  which  I  published  in  the  "  Genius  of  Lib- 
erty," 2  vol.  p.  326.  From  this  article  I  extract  the  foi- 
Jowing : 

•*  You  will  recollect,  Mr.  Editor,  that  sometime  last  sum- 
mer, while  conversing  with  you  on  the  subject  of  religion, 
a  person  remarked  that  *'  as  your  paper  was  a  religious  one, 
m  object  to  enlighten  ana  benefit  mankind,  would  it  not 
ba  better  to  teach  less  doctrinal  and  more  practical  re- 
ligion? Would  it  not  be  better  to  learn  men  to  be  moral, 
than  to  tell  them  that  they  would  all  be  eternally  happy ; 
as  universalism  taught  that  they  would  at  all  events,  be  re- 
warded according  to  the  deeds  done  in  the  body."  You 
replied  that  "  it  would,  but  added  that  it  would  not  suit 
your  subscribers  as  well ;  that  many  of  them  were  deista 
and  atheists,  but  assumed  the  title  of  universahsts,  from 
motives  of  policy,  and  would  not  like  to  have  true  Christi- 
anity defended  and  urged  upon  their  consideration."*  Yet 
with  a  praiseworthy  independence,  you  have  adopted  that 
course — have  proved  the  necessity  and  truth  of  revelation 
— have  warned  men  to  "cease  to  do  evil  and  learn  to  do 
well" — have  told  the  consequence  of  sin,  that  it  was  rai»- 
ery;  of  the  blessings  of  virtue,  that  they  were  happiness 
and  heaven.  And  what  has  been  the  result  ?  Why — 
the  serpents  you  had  held  in  your  bosom,  have  now  darted 
their  poisonous  tongues  at  your  vitals  !f  \ 

**  The  infidels  who  had  consiVered  your  doctrine  a  cloak 
for  iniquity  now  declare  their  hostility,  and  show  a  Sfirit  o( 
enmity  and  Ttvtngt  so  ii/^er  and  nicUcious  that  it  would  hare 
disgraced  ihQ  (hys  of  inquisitorial  vengeance." 

The  reader  is  requested  to  read  the  whole  of  that  article 
if  he  can  get  it,  and  also  an  article  from  my  own  pen  in  the 

*  It  seems  I  used  to  accuse  folks  of  "  only  using  the  Bible  aa  a 
kind  of  popular  mantle  to  wrap  up  a  system  of  infidelity,"  some- 
time ago,  but  Mr.  Skinner  could  bear  itfrora  a  universalist. 

tThe  reader  will  recollect  what  I  told  Mr.  Stacy  about  some 
lifting  ferocious  enough  to  take  my  haait's  bk)od.  Thii  arti«lo 
tbrowfl  some  light  on  that  also. 


lIAMiK2D  AiXD    REPELLED.  3& 

same  vol.  p.  343,  and  see  if  I  had  not  ''reason  from  what 
I  had  already  seen  and  heard"  without  any  accusations  of 
eonscience,  to  **  expect  my  motives  would  be  assailed." 

I  have  never  advanced  the  thought  that  no  good  mf»n 
will  impute  mercenary  motives  to  a  fellow  being.  But  that 
all  good  men  will  be  careful  not  to  do  it  without  evidence, 
though  tftey  are  liable  to  be  mistaken  in  the  evidence, 
through  prejudice  or  other  causes. 

It  is  not  pleasant  to  write  of  one's  self,  but  such  pains 
have  been  taken  by  the  "  fraternity"  to  misrepresent  every 
circumstance,  that  I  must  go  into  some  matters  that  I 
would  rather  not  refer  to. 

He  alludes  to  the  circumstance  that  I  had  pretended  to 
have  had  an  opportunity  to  sell  my  list  of  subscribersr* 
names  so  as  to  make  something  on  them  at  the  end  of  the 
"Genius  of  Liberty,"  when  they  would  be  useless  to  me, 
but  would  not  lest  I  should  be    instrumental  in  spread- 
ing universalisra.     In  order  to  throw  darkness  and  sus- 
picion over  this,  he  quotes  from  his    *' fellow  labourer" 
the  "  Trumpet,"  of  Boston,  which  states,   that  I  offered 
my  whole  list  to  them  for  the  sura  of  $44  53,  which  the 
editor  avers  I  owed  him  for  books,  and  he  would  not  take 
them  at  that.     This  makes  the  "  man  of  the  Trumpet," 
Mr.  Skinner,  and  some  other  "  companions  in  arms"  seem 
to  doubt  my  ever  having  had  any  such  proposals.     Not 
that  they  ever  did  doubt  it ;  for  unquestionably  they  wrote 
at  first  and  ascertained  correctly  about  this.     These  aso 
the  facts.     Some  months  before  I  had  any  objections  to 
deal  in  universalist  books  and  papers,  though  I  had  beguo 
to  doubt  the  utility  of  the«m,  intending  on  that  account  to 
discontinue  mine  at  the  end  of  the  current  volume.     I  wrote 
8  line  to  the  "  man  of  the  Trumpet"  offering  to  let  him 
have  my  names  in  the  end  for  a  quantity  of  books  I  had  of 
hi?,  not  purchased,  but  taken  to  sell  on  conimtssj'on.     And 
for  which  I  did  not  owe  him  as  he  dreamed.*     He  answer- 


'Soime  months  since  I  wrote  to  Mr.  Whittemore  of  tha  "  Tram- 


00  ASFERSIOIVS  OF    U!flTERSALI»Tt 

ed,  that  my  ««bscribers  were  so  far  off,  he  could  cot  retain 
them,  but  would  allow  me  seventy-five  cents  for  every 
subscriber  for  whom  I  would  be  responsible.  Here  the 
matter  rested,  till  I  began  to  feel  it  improper  to  sell  my 
names,  when  I  received  the  two  following  letters,  from 
which  I  will  publish  as  much  as  this  subject  requires. 

'•  Montrose,  April29tk,  1833. 
'*  Dear  Sir  and  Brother — I  discover  by  a  notice  in  your 
"paper  that  you  contemplate  discontinuing  the  "Genius 
*'  of  Liberty"  at  the  close  of  the  present  volume  ;  this  be- 
*'  ing  the  case,  I  wijsh  to  make  a  few  propositions — First, 
"  what  will  you  take  for  your  subscription  list  by  the  hund- 
♦*red?  I  mean  such  as  might  be  considered  responsible, 
"and  might  be  prevailed  on  to  take  the  "Herald."* — 
"  Second,  if  this  inquiry  is  such  as  you  do  not  feel  disposed 
"  to  answer, — I  will  inquire — would  it  suit  you  to  unite 
"your  list  with  mine — publish  it  here — and  yourself  be- 
"come  a  corresponding  editor,  and  receive  what  might  be 
"  agreed  on  as  a  remuneration  for  your  services.  If  sir, 
"you  wish  to  retire  from  the  field  of  Editorial  labour,  you 
"  might  perhaps  with  pleasure  and  profit  become  a  corres- 
"pondent.  Will  you,  sir,  under  any  considerations  favour 
"me  with  your  assistance,  and  your  list  of  subscribers? — 
"  Or,  sir,  if  you  had  ratber  buy  than  sell,  and  would  remove 
"  to  this  place,  /  will  sell.  Arid  after  this  year,  will  venture 
"  to  assure  you  four  hundred  dollars  a  year  for  preaching, 
"  and  names  sufllicient  to  support  a  paper.     If  you  will  con- 


pet,"  telling  him,  I  would  settle  the  matter  of  the  books  vt'ith  any 
person  or  agent  he  might  authorize,  but  as  yet  no  person  has  ap- 
plied for  settlement.  I  offered  long  since  to  send  back  the  books  if 
he  wished.  Many  of  them  were  such  as  I  never  could  have  ex- 
pected to  sell,  and  I  only  let  him  send  such  as  he  pleased,  because 
he  wrote  that  I  might  pay  for  them,  when  I  sold  them.  I  have  his 
letter. 

Since  the  above  was  written  I  have  been  invited  to  an  amicable 
settlement  by  his  agent 


^ A  uoiverealift  paper  published  by  him  at  Montroi e,  Pa. 


EXAMINED  A>0    RKrii:LI.KD.  ,  61 

•*  sider  these  things  and  return  me  an   answer,  you  will 
"much  oblige  an  old  friend,  as  also  at  present. 

"i2ev.  L.  C.  Todd.''  "ALFRED  PECK. 

To  the  above,  I  answered  immediately,  that  I  had  doubts 
both  of  the  truth  and  utility  of  the  doctrine,  and  therefore 
could  not  be  instrumental,  under  amy  conditions,  in  dissem- 
inating it.  Mr.  Skinner,  in  one  of  his  papers,  invidiously 
wishes  to  know,  how  much  I  wrote  and  published  in  my 
paper  in  favour  of  universalism,  after  I  received  this  letter. 
I  tell  him  none.  For  many  weeks  before  my  Renunciation, 
I  neither  wrote  for  nor  against  the  doctrine  of  the  salvation 
of  all  men,  but  on  subjects  of  much  greater  importance. — 
Neither  did  I  publish  any  thing  on  that  subject,  except 
some  articles  which  my  printer  got  in  without  my  appro- 
bation.* 

"  City  of  Troy,  April  23rf,  183-3. 

"  Rev.  L.  C.  Todd — I  have  purchased  the  ♦'  Gospel  An- 
♦*  chor."  Wo  are  desirous  of  discovering  a  more  favoura- 
'•ble  aspect  of  things  than  what  at  present  exhibits  itself; 
**  and  having  heard  from  several  of  our  friends,  that  you 
"  have  come  to  the  conclusion  to  discontinue  the  "  Genius 
"of  Liberty"  at  the  close  of  the  present  volume,  \  have  in- 
"dulged  the  hope  that  some  arrangement  might  be  made 
"  to  our  7nMiw«Z  advantage^by  a  transfer  of  your  list  of  sub- 


*Sorae  have  said  that  I  continued  my  paper  after  I  became  con- 
vinced of  the  impropriety  of  universalism.  I  answer,  I  had  a  per- 
fect right  to  continue  my  paper  as  long  a^  I  pleased.  I  had  agreed 
to  publish  the  paper  to  the  end  of  the  volume,  und  v/as  bound  to 
fulfil  ray  agreement.  But  I  w^as  not  bound  to  teach  universalisn)  iu 
all  the  paper,  but  had  agreed  to  teach  religion  and  morality  in  some 
parts  of  it.  After  I  began  to  suspect  strongly  the  errour  of  univer- 
salism, I  ceased  to  teach  ii;  entirely,  although  I  had  not  come  to  a 
full  determination  respecting  it ;  and  I  finished  out  the  volume  in 
vindication  ofrehgion  and  morality,  which  made  t!:e  "evident, 
change  in  the  moral  complexion  of  the  paper."  I  was  morally 
bound  to  stop  teaching  universalism,  when  I  thought  the  evidence 
against  it  preponderated  over  that  in  its  favour,  but  I  had  a  perfect 
right  to  select  ray  own  time  and  way  to  announce  my  conclusion 
on  the  subject 

During  the  whole  of  tho  pxpor,   I  advocated  such  principles  to 
the  end,  as  I  tliought,  at  Uio  time^  oorreotaad  usclul  to  my  readers. 


62  A8PER310:<S   or  UIVirKRSALISTS 

*'  icribers  to  the  "  Anchor."  We  will  give  you  dll  that 
"your  list  would  be  worth  to  us,  (say  37^  cents  for  every 
"g-oorf  subscriber,  and  nothing  for  poor  ones.)  If  you 
•'should  feel  disposed  to  make  any  arrangements  with  us 
"we  shall  promptly  do  all  within  our  power  to  effect  that 
•'arrangement  to  our  mutual  advantage.  Please  write  as 
♦•soon  as  you  receive  this,  and  frankly,  and  freely  state 
••your  views,  wishes  and  intentions. 

••In  much  haste,  your's  with  esteem, 
"HENRY  J.  GREW." 

I  had  then  about  six  hundred  subscribers,  probably  five 
hundred  were  good,  or  four  hundred  at  least.  I  wrote  him 
that  I  could  not  transfer  my  names  at  any  price,  and  he 
need  not  make  any  further  proposals.  I  sold  the  debts  due 
for  the  "  Genius"  towards  the  close  of  the  volume,  but 
expressly  refused  to  let  the  purchaser  have  the  right  to  the 
names  as  subscribers  or  to  continue  the  paper.  A  long 
time  before  this  last  letter,  I  received  one  from  the  same 
gentleman,  proposing  that  I  should  discontinue  my  paper 
at  the  end  of  the  volume  and  sell  him  the  names  ;  I  then 
wrote  him  that  I  would,  but  suppose  he  did  not  receive  my 
answer. 

Four  or  five  months  previous  to  the  end  of  my  volume, 
I  told  individuals,  that  I  would  support  temperance,  reli- 
gion, and  morality  more  in  it  than  I  had  done ;  and  I  was 
aware  that  many  of  my  subscribers  would  be  so  offended 
that  they  would  never  pay  for  the  paper;  and  it  would  be 
more  trouble  to  collect  such  scattered  debts  by  course  of 
law  than  they  would  be  worth.  I  intimated  the  same  also 
in  the  paper ;  but  said  I  would  pursue  the  course  which 
my  conscience  dictated,  at  all  events,  though  I  expected  to 
lose  several  hundred  dollars  by  it.  Toward  the  close,  I 
sold  all  the  debts,  amounting  to  $700  for  $300,  supposing 
that  was  about  as  much  as  they  were  worth  under  such 
circumstances.  Had  I  pursued  the  course  formerly  pur- 
sued before  the  "  evident  change  in  the  moral  complexion 


iXAMlWEDA.ND  REPELLED.  63 

of  the  paper,"  I  might  doubtless  have  received  at  least 
$600  on  the  debts.  Had  I  been  seeking  to  make  money  as 
the  sole  end  and  aim  of  life,  as  my  enemies  now  pretend,  1 
might  have  continued  out  my  paper  in  right  universalist 
style  ;  sold  then  the  names  and  collected  the  debts  on  the 
paper ;  and  after  saving  to  myself  several  hundred  dollars, 
I  might  then  have  turned  orthodox,  and  secured  all  the 
pecuniary  advantages  of  such  a  change,  if  there  were  any, 
as  well  as  to  make  the  sacrifice  I  did  make. 

Furthermore,  while  at  Jamestown,  I  had  three  letters 
from  Buflfalo,  inviting  me  to  come  and  settle  with  them  ; 
and  it  was  suggested  that  my  paper  patronage  could  be  in- 
creased by  moving  it  there;  and  they  offered  me  a  salary 
of  five  hundred  dollars  a  year  for  preaching  Sundays  with 
them.  Moie  than  a  year  before  my  Renunciation  I  told 
some  persons,  that  I  had  not  confidence  enough  in  the  be- 
nefits of  universalist  preaching  to  induce  me  to  settle  there 
or  any  where  else  with  the  hope  to  do  any  good. 

For  the  last  year  previous  to  the  Renunciation,  I  was 
frequently  urged  by  universalists  who  returned  from  Cin- 
cinnati to  go  there,  where  it  was  alleged  I  could  have  a 
good  support.  On  the  preceding  summer,  one  was  hold- 
ing out  to  me  the  great  advantages  that  I  might  obtain  by 
yielding  to  the  wishes  of  that  society,  when  I  told  him,  that 
I  might  go  there,  and  preach,  and  have  a  fine  salary  ;  but 
I  had  no  assurance  that  the  morals  of  my  supporters  would 
be  any  improved  by  it,  or  that  universalism  would  do 
any  more  good  in  Cincinnati  than  in  Jamestown.  That  1 
believed  I  should  close  my  paper  another  year  and  retire 
into  private  life.  This  was  said  in  the  presence  of  Mr.  Al- 
len, teacher  of  the  academical  school.  In  the  winter  be- 
fore the  Renunciation,  L.  Davis,  Esq.  of  Carroll,  returned 
from  Cincinnati,  authorized  to  engage  me  to  go  there. — 
He  held  out  the  most  encouraging  prospects  in  a  pecunia- 
ry point  of  view,  and  urged  me  to  go.  And  I  will  here  re- 
mark that  ho  is  well  known  as  a  universalist  of  the  consci- 


d4  AaPERS10>'S  or    U^•IVEKSALlSTa 

entious  kind.  And  he  admitted  to  me,  that  universalists 
generally  were  not  pious,  and  that  he  had,  for  years,  monrn- 
ed  over  the  course  they  pursued  in  relation  to  religion. — 
A  gentleman  returned  in  the  spring  previous  to  my  Re- 
nunciation, and  said  they  would  give  me  any  salary  almost 
I  asked,  if  I  would  come  there  ;  but  as  he  had  heard  of  my 
taking  a  strange  course  for  a  universalist  to  take,  he  only 
mentioned  it  to  others,  and  I  have  it  by  information. 

By  letter  I  had  also  frequent  and  urgent  invitations  to  many 
places,  and  high  encouragements  proposed.  I  have  been 
thus  particular,  because  certain  people  of  "  unbounded 
charity,"  having  on  the  "  bonds  of  perfectness,"  have  echo- 
ed their  insinuations  through  the  country,  that  I  havo  done 
this  for  money,  because  I  could  not  get  a  support  as  a  uni- 
rersalist  I  &c.  Money  v/as  never  my  first  object  in  preach- 
ing— but  had  it  been  so,  I  should  certainly  have  gone  on. 
My  sermons  averaged  me  while  a  miiversalist  77Jor«  than 
tJiree  dollais  to  one  now. 

When  these  things  are  considered,  v.'as  I  not  justified  in 
the  charitable  presumption,   that  "none  but  men  of  no 
principle  ;  who  never  acted  but  from  mercenary  motives, 
would  impute  such  to  me  ?"     And,  indeed,  all  universalists 
at  all  distinguished  for  candour,  with  whom  I  have  convers- 
ed, not  excepting  Mr.  Stacy,  have  acknowledged,  they  be- 
lieved my  motives  good.     So  I  was  right  in  predicting  that 
universalists   generally    would   not    impugn   my   motives 
against  all  evidence — that  none  but  the  worthless  and  un- 
principled would  do  it,  unless  a  horde  of  restless  and  in- 
terested editors  should  be  considered  partial  exceptions, 
which  is,  however,  by    many,  doubted.     In  another  num- 
ber of  Mr.  Skinner's  pape»,  he  says,  that  he  expects  1  shall 
draw  a  good  salary  out  of  the  methodist  fund  !     And  that 
metbodist  clergy  get  greater  salaries  than  any  otbei;protes- 
lant  clergy  get   in  America  I  !     I   do  not  know  but  1  am 
wrong  to  put  an  exclamation  point  as  "a  mark   of  wonder 
cr  surprise"    after  any  thing  ne   might  say.      One  vould 


KXAMirtED  ANP    REPELLED.  C5 

suppose,  ha  considered  his  readers  out  of  their  senses,  aud 
ready  to  believe  any  thing  from  him,  if  they  knew  it  false. 
I  never  intimated  in  all  my  writings,  that  methodist  preach- 
ers get  any  thing  more  than  a  poor  support.  More  than 
half  of  them  are  local  preachers,  who  do  not  travel  a  cir- 
cuit, and  such  are  not  allowed  by  the  discipline  to  receive 
any  thing  for  preaching.  These  are  a  numerous  body  who 
preach  Sundays  without  pay,  and  labour  the  rest  of  their 
time.  As  to  the  circuit  preachers,  they  have  a  small  sup- 
port if  their  friends  please  to  let  them  have  it;  but  they  must 
leave  all  other  pursuits,  have  no  home  on  earth  ;  but  move 
their  families  yearly  from  place  to  place.  They  have 
neither  chance  to  make  money  nor  enjoy  it  if  they  had  it. 
Look  at  them  when  you  will,  unless  a  methodist  travelling 
preaoher  had  property  before  he  started,  you  will  always  find 
him  poor,  and  his  family  poor.  They  are  from  home  and 
cannot  enjoy  much  of  the  ease  and  comfort  of  home  ;  nor 
the  endearments  of  domestick  life ;  nor  administer  much  to 
the  necessities  of  dependant  families.  They  are  prudent, 
and  frugal,  and  obliged  to  be  so.  They  are  as  pilgrims  in 
the  world,  preaching  from  place  to  place,  with  scarcely  a 
place  to  rest,  till  they  arrive  at  theirheavenly  home.  They 
visit  every  place  where  there  seems  a  chance  to  gain  friends 
to  Christ.  They  explore  the  wilderness  and  the  abodes  o( 
poverty.  They  find  out  almost  every  lane  and  hamlet. — 
They  wind  along  every  valley  ;  cross  every  river  ;  and 
climb  every  mountain.  Burning  sands ;  autumnal  storms ; 
wintry  snows,  and  piercing  winds,  are  their  companions  I 
Often  does  the  tear  of  mingled  emotion  gather  on  the  cheek, 
as  they  tread  the  lonely  path,  and  endure  the  dreary  way, 
reflecting  upon  the  homeless  and  pitiless  life,  which  ben- 
evolence points  out  for  them,  and  the  corruption  and  mis- 
ery which  it  prompts  them  to  mitigate.  But  their  bosoms 
burn  with  the  love  of  God,  and  their  ambition  is  to  reclaim 
men  from  wicked  pursuits,   and  guide  them  to  happiness 

litre,  and  heaven  hereafter.     Yet  these  weatherbcaten  soU 

6* 


66  sPl:KSIo^s  of  universalists 

diers  of  the  cross  are  held  up  as  a  luxurious  and  money  ma- 
king class  of  men,  by  universalist  editors — and  these  edi- 
tors would  have  us  believe  that  they  are  the  true  friends  and 
the  only  friends  of  rehgion !  Paiue,  Hume  and  Voltaire, 
were  as  valuable  friends.  No — 1  never  accused  them  of 
making  money  by  preaching.  I  had  seen  it  in  universa- 
list prints  before,  but  I  always  despised  the  falsehood. — 
Though  a  universalist,  I  had  too  much  conscience  to  pre- 
tend any  such  thing. 

I  will  here  add  a  letter  that  I  have  received  from  Rev. 
Mr.  Brunson,  who  stands  high  in  the  estimation  of  (he 
country  ;  and  who  has  been  long  intimately  acquainted 
with  every  thing  that  belongs  to  the  pecuniary  concerns  of 
the  methodist  church. 

"  Meodville.Pa.  Oct.  29th,  1833. 

"Dear  Brother — Yours  of  the  20th  inst.  has  just  come 
•'to  hand,  in  which  you  make  certain  inquiries,  relative  to 
*'  the  pecuniary  support  of  the  methodist  ministry.  In  re- 
"  ply  to  which  I  will  briefly  state  facts  as  they  exist. 

"  The  discipline  of  the  methodist  episcopal  church,  does 
"not  so  much  provide  for  the  support  of  her  ministers,  as 
**  limit  ihem  to  a  certain  amount  which  they  are  permitted 
♦•to  receive  ;  provided,  the  voluntary  contributions  of  our 
"people  give  us  that  amount.  The  policy  of  this  rule  is 
"  to  preserve  a  pure  and  spiritual  ministry,  by  holding-  out  no 
*^ pecuniary  considerations  to  men  to  become  her  ministers, 
"60  that  if  any  man  solicits  the  privilege  of  preaching  among 
"  us,  his  motives  must  be  of  a  spiritual  and  cot  of  a  pecuni- 
^'■ary  character.  Indeed,  I  know  of  but  few  ministers 
"among  us,  but  who  suflfer  pecuniary  loss  from  year  to 
"year. 

"Our  discipline  permits,  or  allows  each  itinerant  minis- 
"  t^r  to  receive,  (if  he  can  get  it  from  the  voluntary  contri- 
"  fcution  of  his  hearers.)  th^  sum  of  one  hundred  dollars  per 
"  annum,  and  his  necessary  travelling  expenses.  If  he  has 
''  a  wife,  he  is  allowed  to  receive  the  same  amount  for  her; 


KXAMINKD  AND  REPELLED.  67 

'*  aod  for  ^afth  child  under  seven  years  of  age  sir{«en  dollars ; 
**  and  for  each  child  over  seven  and  under  fourteen,  twenty- 
^^four  dollars  ;  and  after  that  age  nothing.  But  if  the  con- 
"  tributions  on  the  circuit  are  more  than  sufficient  to  make 
'♦  up  these  allowances,  he  is  not  allowed  to  receive  it,  though 
**  it  should  be  offered  to  him, — it  must  be  sent  to  the  an- 
*•  nual  conference  to  assist  in  making  up  the  allowances  of 
••  those  preachers  who  are  deficient  therein. 

•'  In  addition  to  this  allowance,  our  discipline  provideB  or 
*' rather  allows  the  preacher  to  be  furnished  with  a  house, 
"  and  with  some  few  otherofhis  family  expenses;  tobeiim- 
"  ited,  however,  to  the  means  and  circumstances  of  the  place 
**in  which  he  lives  and  the  peo}7ie  whom  he  serves.  In 
'•  towns  and  cities,  where  the  expenses  of  a  family  are  great, 
*•  and  the  ability  of  the  people  equal  to  them,  one  meets 
'*  the  other ;  but  in  our  country  circuits  the  rule  is  seldom 
"  made  to  bear,  not  even  to  furnishing  a  house. 

*'  The  Jirst  of  these  allowances  is  called  quarterage  or  sal- 
*'  ary ;  the  second  is  called  (not  travelling,  but)  family  expen- 
"  ses  ;  neither  of  which  is  made  up  in  one  case  out  of  twenty 
••oH  an  averages  But  in  case  of  deficiency  in  quarterage, 
*'  (not  of  the  other,)  our  rules  provide  "  ways  and  means" 
**  whereby  they  might  be  made  up,  yet  it  is  never  done. — 
'•  These  means,  are,  1.  the  avails  of  "  the  chartered  fund," 
**  located  in  Philadelphia,  2.  the  avails  of  the  book  con- 
**cern  at  New-York.  3.  a  colletion  lifted  for  that  purpose 
"on  each  circuit  and  station,  and  4.  the  surplus  quarter- 
"age  on  any  circuit  where  there  may  be  such:  hut  of  this 
♦'  /  have  not  known  an  instance  in  ff teen  years.  These  sev- 
*'  eral  sums  when  collected  at  the  annual  conference,  con- 
"  stitute  what  is  called  ♦'  the  conference  fund,"  out  of  which 
"the  deficiencies  of  the  preachers  are  to  be  made  up,  or 
"  at  least  as  far  as  it  will  go  for  that  purpose. 

"But  the  existence  of  such  a  fund  has  greatly  mislead 
••  both  our  friends  and  our  foes.  The  former  lean  upon  it 
"  to  make  up  what  th^y  should  give  towarcis  the  support  of 


68  ASPERSIONS  or  umtersalists 

**  their  preachers,  and  therefore  contribute  Un  than  thejr 
"  would  otherwise  do  for  that  object.  In  the  mean  time 
*'the  latter  imagine  it  an  inexhaustable  fountain  from 
*'  which  we  are  sure  to  receive  an  ample  support,  whether 
*'  we  obtain  it  from  other  sources  or  not. 

*'As  to  the  truth  of  this  last  idea,  you  will  allow  me  to 
*•  be  able  to  judge,  when  I  inform  you  that  I  have  been 
**  chairman  of  the  committee  called  '*  conference  stewards," 
*'for  cigAt  years  past,  whose  duty  it  is  to  receive  and  dis- 
**  tribute  these  funds.  And  to  give  you  the  clearest  possi- 
*'  ble  view  of  the  case,  I  will  state  the  result  of  the  last 
*' years  settlement,  which  was  several  hundred  dollars  more 
*'  favourable  than  any  former  year  in  thia  (the  Pittsburgh) 
*•  conference,  since  its  organization,  in  1825. 

"There  were  last  year  120  preachers, — what  proportion 
*'  of  whom  were  married  I  am  not  jiow  able  to  tell ;  but  the 
*' whole  amount  necessary  to  make  up  the  allowance  of  all 
*•  the  preachers,  the  wives,  children,  widows,  and  orphans, 
*'was  822,632  00 

*•  The  whole  amount  received  by  them  to- 
*' wards  their  allowance  as  quarterage,  on  their 
*' several  circuits  and  stations,  (the  worn  out 
'*  preachers,  receiving  nothing  from  this  source,) 
"was  $16,142  74 


♦♦Leaving  a  deficiency  to  be  made  up  by  the 
conference  funds,  of  $6,489  26 


"  This  fund  fo?  the  last  year,  was  made  up  as  follows, 
**  viz  : 

"  Collections  from  the  aevefal  circuits  and 
♦'stations,  $887  57 

•*  Our  share  of  the  profits  of  the  book  concern,       400  00 

**  Our  share  of  the  avails  bf  the  chartered  fund,         75  00 


Making  in  all,  $1,362  57 

This  sum  of  $13^  57,  constituted  the  fond  so  muih 


EXAMINED   AND    REPELLED. 


69 


»'  talked  about,  and  which  was  to  pay  $6489  26  ;  but  which 
"could  pay  only  about  twenty  cents  on  the  dollar  of  the 
"amount.  By  this  statement  it  will  be  seen  that  after  all 
"  that  the  *'  conference  fund"  could  do,  the  preachers  did 
"not,  on  an  average,  receive  from  both  circuit  and  confer- 
"ence,  but  -iihoul  three- fourths  of  their  small  allowance; 
"  that  is,  a  single  man  received  about  seventy -five  dollars, 
"  and  a  mdn  with  a  wife,  one  hundred  andffty  dollars  for  ? 
"  year's  service  ;  while  these  very  men,  or  at  least  the  most 
"  of  them,  left  business  worth  from  $300  to  $1200  per  an- 
"  Qum,  for  the  sake  of  preaching  the  gospel  iu  the  capacity 
"of  itinerant  methodist  preachers. 

"I  could  add  many  remarks  from  ray  own  experience 
"and  observations,  but  comments  are  unnecessary:  these 
"  facts  speak  for  themselves. 

"  Respectfully  yours, 

"iJei?.  L.  C.  Todd.''  ''A.  BRUNSON. 

But  whether  methodist  travelling  preachers  receive  great 
salaries  or  small  ones,  was  a  matter  of  little  concern  to  me. 
i  have  long  desired  most  anxiously  to  enjoy  retired  life,  and 
only  went  into  the  itineracy  to  discharge  what  appeared 
my  duty,  in  hopes  that  I  should  feel  satisfied  after  a  little 
time  ;  and  intended,  as  soon  as  I  had  done  what  1  felt 
bound  to  do  for  the  publick,  to  go  into  private  life.*  Mr. 
Skinner  says, 

"  We  cannot  but  remark,  and  we  think  every  attentive 
reader  must  have  noticed,  the  entire  silence  of  Mr.  T.  on 
the  subject  of  scripture  testimony."     And  again: 


*1  will  here  add  that  protestant  jf^eachers  of  no  sect  have  any  ob- 
ject to  preach  for  money  solely.  Some,  of  splendid  taients  get  got»d 
salaries ;  but  such  conld  get  more  in  many  other  callings.  Very  few 
preachers  of  any  sect  in  our  country  get  more  than  is  necessary  to 
meet  their  expenses.  The  men  who  complain  much  of  priestcraft 
generally  pay  ten  times  more  for  grog  bills.,  law  suits,  fiddler's  bills 
aad  other  similar  concerns,  than  the  pious  pay  to  support  a  gospel 
ministry.  In  going  on  to  a  circuit,  I  thought  it  doubtful,  at  tb© 
^me,'  whether  my  lungs  v/ould  atlinit  of  preaching  six  months. — 
4nd  considored  it  oflittlQ  eonsequenc©  about  tho  salary. 


79 


ASPKRSIONS  or    UMVCRSALISTI 


•*  But  alas  !  Mr.  T.  has  no  proof— he  would  gladly  hare 
brought  it  forward  if  he  had."* 

Did  1  attempt  to  discuss  the  question  whether  all  men 
would  be  saved  or  not  ?  No — not  at  all.  Then  why  does 
he  conclude  I  had  no  proof,  and  who  told  him  I  would 
gladly  have  brought  it  forward  if  1  had  ?  Must  a  man  go 
to  work  and  prove  every  thing  he  believes  in  every  article  he 
writes,  if  he  can  prove  it?  The  question  was  never  syste- 
matically discussed  by  the  apostles,  and  I  think  never  should 
be  by  their  followers  if  they  can  reasonably  avoid  it.  I  wish- 
ed to  be  understood,  that  I  did  not  think  the  chief  design  of 
the  gospel  either  to  teach  universal  salvation  or  endless  mis- 
ery ;  but  that  all  men  should  turn  to  God  by  a  holy  life  ; 
and  as  many  as  would  do  this  should  be  saved  and  the  rest 
should  be  lost.  Then  the  question  how  many  would  turn 
to  God,  being  a  matter  of  prophesy  and  implication  and  be- 
ing a  thing  which  our  disputes  can  never  alter,  I  conceived 
it  my  business  to  let  it  be  for  idlers  to  dispute  about,  while 
1  should  preach  the  gospel,  offer  Christ  to  such  aa  will  ac- 
cept him,  and  expose  infidelity. 

My  grand  object,  as  I  said  before,  was  not  to  dispute 
about  universalism;  but  to  oppose  infidelity,  caring  very 
little  about  the  different  views  that  believers  may  have  on 
minor  points,  so  that  they  were  christians.  If  they  believed 
all  would  repent  and  be  saved,  I  would  not  quarrel  with 
them  about  that ;  but  am  satisfied  that  very  few,  who  really 

*These  men  knowing  notliing  but  war,  seem  to  take  for  granted 
that  others  must  be  like  themselves;  and  the  only  reason,  I  did  not 
usher  into  being  half  a  dozen  volumes  to  confute  all  their  notiona 
in  a  single  moment  of  time,  they  conclude  was,  because  I  had  no 
proof!  I  Must  a  man  fight  these  bullies  or  be  called  a  coward  ? 
And  because  he  does  not  confute  all  they  have  said  for  years,  in  a 
moment,  is  it  certain  proof  that  he  cannot  do  it?  It  reminds  me 
of  a  drunkard,  I  saw  at  training  once,  who  insisted  that  the  whole 
regiment  were  afraid  of  him,  because  they  did  not  knock  him  down ! 
Preachers  generally  suppose,  that  it  is  as  much  as  they  can  attend 
to,  to  show  that  the  pious  and  good  will  be  saved,  and  to  persuade 
people  to  become  christians.  They  think  the  Bible  teaches  enough 
of  the  misery  of  the  impenitent  and  wicked  for  believers  in  the  Bi- 
ble :  and  it  is  of  no  usa  to  convince  such  &m  reject  itt  authority  that 
itt«acbea  future  ratribution. 


IXAMISED  AND  REPELLED.  71 

belreva  the  Bible,  will  ever  suppose  it  designed  to  teach  th© 
certain  salvation  of  all  men  at  death.     The  Bible  offers  sal- 
vation upon  condition  of  faith  and  repentance,    so  clearly, 
that  very  few  can  read  without  perceiving  it.    Most  that  pre- 
tend to  believe  in  universalism  and  found  it  on  the  scriptures, 
seem  only  to  believe  so  much  of  the  Bible  as  will  seem  to  fa- 
vour them,  and  secretly  they  believe  not  and  care  not  what  it 
does  teach.     Now  to  waste  time   and   money  to  convince 
such  people,  what  the  Bible  teaches,  would  be  idle.     We 
need  only  teach  them  to  respect  the  Bible,  and  universalism 
is  down;  oi  if  it  can  live  with  ihe  belief  of  the  Bible,  K«  t  it 
live.     But  I  only  wish  to  oppose  universalism,  so  far  as  the 
defence  of  the  Bible,  and  the  banishment  of  infidelity  will 
oppose  it.     I  fear  nothing  at  all  from  universalism  where 
the  christian  religion  prevails.     2.  Another  reason  I  did 
not  go  into  a  defence  of  my  "  new  views"  was,  that  I  was 
not  conceited  enough  to  suppose  I  could  defend  them  bet- 
ter^than  had  been  done   by  others.     3.  I  had  not  time  to 
devote  to  the  work  then,  and  wished  to  take  time  to  pre- 
pare, to  do  it  more  thoroughly  if  I  ever  should  undertake, 
than  I  could   then.     And  4.  I  doubted  whether  I  could 
write  ray  "  new  views"  any  plainer  than  they  stand  in  the 
Bible.     And  I  shall  never  expect  to  write  so  that  Mr.  Skin- 
ner and  Co.  can  understand  me.     For  they  have  been  8o 
long  in  the  habit  of  findmg  a  meaning  in  language,  that  the 
writers  never  iraagiaed,  that  they  could  not  understand  me 
any  better  than  they  do  the  Bible.* 
For  the  present,  now,  I  must  bid  farewell  to  Mr,  Skinner. 


*Many  universalists  have  expressed  astonishment,  that  I  did  not 
quote  a  single  text  of  scripture,  in  the  Renunciation,  to  disprove 
universalism.  The  object  of  the  Renunciation  was  solely  to  inform 
the  publick  that  I  did  not  believe  any  evidence  urged  for  that  doc- 
trine to  be  conclusive  evidence — not  to  disprove  the  doctrine. — 
Now  did  they  expect  nie  to  quote  scripture  to  prove  that  I  did  not 
believe  in  universalism  ?  The  Bible  says  nothing  about  me,  nor 
my  opinions  !  Had  I  entered  into  a  discussion  of  the  evidence  of 
universalism,  then  they  might  have  expected  me  to  quote  scrip- 
ture. But  I  conceived  no  more  necessity,  for  quoting  scripture 
to  prove  that  I  renounced  universalism,  than  there  would  be  for  quo- 
rinp'  flcrintura  to  nrova  0<?Tieral  JarWartn  Prf>aif!ftnt  nf  the  TTtiinn 


72  ASPEE.glON8  or    B.-tlVERSALISTS 

He  says  in  his  conclusion  that  he  is  not  my  enemy — that 
he  has  been  as  charitable  as  he  could  be,  and  that  he  pit- 
ies me,  &c.  It  is  immaterial  whether  he  is  my  enemy  or 
not,  since  he  has  treated  me  like  one.  It  is  of  no  conso- 
quence  to  rae  that  he  "  endeavoured  to  exercise  as  much 
charity  towards  me  as  was  possible,"  since  he  did  not  suc- 
ceed in  the  exercise  of  any  thiag  but  gall  and  bitterness. 
And  I  care  not  for  his  pity,  since  it  seeras  to  be  of  that 
kind,  which  the  assassin  feels  as  he  stabs  the  victim  who 
happeus  to  stand  in  the  way  of  his  interest.  Let  3Ir.  S. 
therefore,  if  he  is  capable  of  generous  pity,  turn  it  towards 
the  multitudes  of  weeping  wives  and  hungry  children,  whose 
husbands  and  fathers  have  become  dissipated  with  the  full 
assurance,  drawn  from  the  "  Advocate,"  that  drunk  or  so- 
ber, all  will  be  saved.  And  to  the  fathers  and  mothers, 
who  see  with  agony  their  sons,  already  swearing  that  all 
will  be  saved,  wliile  they  drink,  and  gamble,  and  revel 
along  under  the  smiles  of  the  "  Advocate,"  to  the  awful 
plunge  from  whence  they  never  rise.  But  one  word  to 
Mr.  Skinner  before  we  part.  Does  not  conscience  some- 
times carry  forward  jyour  mind,  to  a  dying  scene  ;  when 
human  ambition  and  the  love  of  party,  shall  flit  away  ;  and 
the  thousands  of  this  age,  and  of  ages  to  come,  who  have 
become  loose  and  abandoned  by  supposing  heaven  certain 
to  all,  will  throng  in  horrible  phantoms  upon  your  troubled 
brain— and  the  thoughtstrike  your  soul  as  an  arrow  from 
the  dark  abyss  before  you. 

If  the  Bible  be  not  a  fable — if  there  be  a  "  worm  that 
never  dies — a  fire  that  never  shall  be  quenched — where 
shall  the  ungodly  and  the  sinner  appear?"* 

*  Since  the  body  of  this  w^ork  was  written,  we  perceive  Mr. 
Skinner  has  noticed  our  proposal  to  publish  this  Defence,  and 
says  "it  is  evident  that  we  are  seeking  to  obtain,  if  possible,  con- 
siderable notoriety  in  the  world."  Tliey  first  complained  and 
boasted  tliat  we  did  not  attempt  to  sustain  our  "  new  views,"  and 
insinuated  that  we  were  cishonest  because  we  did  not  do  it;  now 
when  thev  learn  that  we  attempt  it,  they  assert  that  our  object  is 
notoriety !  So  we  must  be  wrong  if  we  will  not  %bt  them,  and 
certainly  wrong  if  ws  do!    When  they  drag  us  before  the  publiok. 


EXAMINED  AND   REFF.LLED.  7^ 

i?er.  S.  It.  Smith's  ''  Opinion''  of  the  author  considered, 

*'  ITiB  mischief  shall  return  upon  hia  own  head,  and  hia  violent 
dealing  shall  come  down  upon  his  own  pate." — Psalms,  vii:  16. 

No  matter  how  eminent  the  man  as  a  gentleman  or  uni- 
versalist  preacher;  if  he  uses  his  influence  and  his  name  to 
abuse  an  individual  without  provocation,  that  individual  has 
the  right  of  nature's  law  to  repel  the  calumny.  I  shall  ex- 
tract as  much  of  Mr.  Smith's  "opinion,"  as  seems  worthy 
of  notice,  but  would  not  wiUingly  hurt  a  hair  of  his  head; 
for  I  never  loved  a  man  more  than  him.  And  deeply  regret 
that  sectarian  views  and  feelings  should  find  a  harbour  in 
his  heart.     lie  says, 

*' Mr.  Todd  commenced  his  ministry  io  the  vicinity  of 
his  present  residence,  in  Chautauque  county,  in  the  fall  of 
1817^  Why,  in  his  renunciation,  he  should  have  chosea 
to  date  the   commencement  of  his  ministerial  career  only 

and  give  ua  a  notoriety  which  we  sought  not,  and  previously  mis- 
represent U3  to  the  world,  they  think  we  can  have  no  other  motii-e 
in  self-defence  than  "notoriety!"  Have  they  no  other  object 
in  defending  ilieir  views,  but  *'  to  obtain  considerable  notoriety 
in  the  world?"  We  have  never  sought  notoriety.  For  the 
sake  of  cbscurity  and  peace,  We  intended  never  to  become  distin- 
guished by  any  publication  or  theological  controversy,  after  onr 
Renunciation.  But  they  would  not  allow  us  to  rest — and  the 
whole  of  this  publication  is  the  result  of  their  ungentlemauly  and 
unchristian  abuse.  I  despise  the  sarcastick  and  malignant  imagin- 
ations of  the  misjudging  world ;  and  consider  its  admiration  almost 
equally  worthless.  And  have  long  desired  to  be  indulged  in  the 
enjoyment  of  blessed  retirement,  from  all  the  discord  of  conflicting 
interests  and  feelings,  where  I  may  breathe  the  sweet  air  of  humble 
obscurity,  and  let  the  angry  world  fight  on,  and  wrong  and  devour 
each  other,  without  any  participation  in  their  everlasting  conton- 
tions. 

He  also  tells  the  publick  that  some  "  excellent  friend"  wrote  him 
from  Erie,  Pa.  that  I  had  preached  in  that  place,  and  preached 
nothing  that  any  christian  denomination  would  find  any  fault  witl^ 
yet  he  goes  on  to  find  fault,  that  "  it  was  hard  work  for  him  to 
preach,"  that  "  he  would  get  into  his  former  style,  and  then  would 
stammer  and  spit,  and  try  to  get  on  to  his  new  ground,"  &c.  Oh  hor- 
rible ! ! !  It  icas  rather  hard  work  for  me  to  preach  that  evening. 
For  years  I  have  been  troubled  with  weak  lungs,  so  that  I  thought 
it  doubtful  whether  I  could  stand  circuit  preaching  a  year,  and  the 
forenoon  of  that  day,  had  preached  two  hours,  arid  rede  all  the  af- 
ternoon, and  arrived  in  Erie  only  in  time  to  commence  meeting ; 
and  was  so  tired  that  I  could  not  finish  out  my  discourse.  My 
9tyU,  of  preaching  i«  precisely  the  same  that  it  used  Xobe.    I  did  not 

7 


4 


74  ASFERSiorfs  or  umversalist* 

eight  years  back,  instead  of  sixteen,  we  have  yet  to  learn. 
Yet  in  all  he  has  said  in  that  long  aiticle,  there  is  not  one 
direct  reference  to  a  single  incident  which  would  give  a 
stranger  the  most  distant  idea  of  the  real  duration  of  bis 
past  publick  life." 

We  have  remarked  on  this  in  another  place.  We  will 
add,  that  we  did  not  conceive  that  there  was  any  thing  in 
the  incidents  of  "his  past  publick  life,"  that  had  any  con- 
nexion with  the  subject  of  the  renunciation.  The  renunci- 
ation was  made  mainly  for -my  subscribers,  who  knew  gen- 
erally all  these  things,  who  lived  in  the  very  country  where 
they  happened.  There  was  no  more  occasion  for  writing 
out  all  those  incidents  than  there  was  for  writing  the  histo- 
ry of  the  world.     He  adds, 

•  *'  Soon  after  he  commenced  his  publick  labours  as  a  min- 
ister of  the  reconciliation — in  a  few  weeks,  or  at  most  a  few 
months,  he   renounced  both   the  doctrine  of  universalism, 

know  before,  tiiat  one  must  change  his  style,  because  his  views  on 
Bonie  points  alter.  As  to  the  matter  of  the  discourse,  it  had  no 
connexiou  with  any  sectarian  notions,  and  I  was  not  conscious  of 
making  a  single  mistake,  or  advancing  a  single  thought,  that  I 
would  wish  to  alter.  Sometimes,  after  a  long  sentence,  i  have 
long  been  in  the  habit  of  pausing  a  moment  to  respire  easy  and  re- 
cover strength ;  especially  when  tired.  I  did  so  then,  and  might 
have  spit  once  or  twice  in  the  course  of  the  sermon.  What  an 
awful  thing!  worthy  to  be  published  in  a  universalist  paper ,  and 
sent  out  for  liberal,  and  noble,  and  humane,  and  philanthropick 
people  to  feed  on ! 

He  talks  that  I  should  have  been  more  acceptable  among  uni- 
versalist?, Lad  I  vindicated  religion  then,  instead  of  secretly  cher- 
ishing iiostiliiy  to  it.  Now  this  insinuation  is  founded  on  falsehood. 
I  was  never  secretly  hostile  to  religion.  I  always  spoke  my  real 
sentiments.  But  universalists  never  complained,  that  I  did  not 
preach  religion  enough — but  during  the  latter  part  of  my  ministry, 
they  are  well  known  to  have  complained,  that  I  preached  too 
much.  Besides,  my  vindication  of  religion  against  skepticism  in 
this  book,  is  the  same,  I  publisked  in  the  "Genuis  of  Liberty," 
which  so  aroused  their  wrath.  It  is  just  here  to  say,  that  some  of 
my  universalist  friends  were  pleasad  with  the  vindication.  If  ever 
I  was  distinguished  among  ui:iversalist  pieachers,  it  was  for  preach 
ing  more  reiigion  tLiin  many  of  them  do.  And  I  affirm  that  I  hnv' 
always  been  too  ii:depenr!ent,  to  preaeh  one  thing  and  believe 
another ;  or  to  |)e  secretly  hosrils  to  what  I  publickly  advocate.  I 
always  would  express  m.y  opinions  though  they  were  to  vary  twice 
a  day-.  I  never  used  an  argument  which  I  did  not  think  sound,  no  " 
applied  a  text  of  scripture  differently  from  my  real  belief  of  its  tru 
eense,.  in  my  whole  life. 


EXAMINED  AND  REPELLED.  .' 0 

and  the  belief  of  a  divine  revektioti  together.  It  appeared, 
during  his  continuance  in  this  state  of  mind,  that  his  diffi- 
culties originated  in  the  want  of  correct  views  respecting 
the  moral  and  physical  goverojnent  of  the  universe.  He 
saw  much  evil  and  much  suffering,  both  natural  and  moral, 
and  inferred  that  if  God  was  good,  they  would  have  been 
prevented.  He  therefore  preferred  to  disbelieve  the  being 
of  a  God,  to  a  belief  in  the  existence  of  one  that  was  not 
good." 

Here  he  makes  me  to  have  been,  when  quite  young,  an 
Atheist.  When  I/ead  it,  I  concluded  that  it  must  be  that 
there  was  something  of  that  kind  in  my  mind  because  S. 
R.  Smith  said  it,  though  I  could  recollect  no  such  thing. 
The  truth  is  this.  In  the  fall  of  1817  I  first  came  into 
Chautauque  county,  young,  inexperienced,  and  very  ig- 
norant of  the  world.  I  found  S.  R.  Smith  there,  a  univer- 
salist  preacher,  itinerating  about  the  country.  I  had  imbi- 
bed that  sentiment,  and  was  full  of  love  and  admiration  for 
the  preacher.  He  learned  my  mind,  and  was  inforpied 
that  I  had  some  thoughts  of  studying  for  the  ministry.  He 
urged  me  to  commence  preaching  immediately,  and  study 
as  I  had  opportunity.  I  told  him  I  was  not  qualified,  nor 
prepared.  But  I  was  about  much  with  him;  and  his  con- 
stant and  ardent  pursuasions  prevailed.  Alter  much  tJ!'C'» 
ing  and  pursuasion,  I  consented  to  try  to  preach.  Previous^ 
however,  to  commencing,  as  we  were  walking  together,  and 
he  was  talking,  that  God  was  good,  and  therefore  musi  will 
to  save  all  men  from  all  evil ;  and  was  omnipotent,  and 
therefore,  must  be  able  to  do  it,  and  hence  it  would  be  done,;^ 
I  asked  him  why  the  same  goodness  and  the  same  power 
did  not  prevent  the  present  existence  of  all  evil?  He  told 
me  that  he  could  not  answer  that  question,  and  I  should 
never  find  any  body  that  could,  who  admitted  a  Deity.*  This 
conversation,  by  the  way,  is  the  evidence,  and  the  only  evi- 
dence, he  had  for  suspecting  that  I  was  an  Atheist.  But 
if  I  must  have  been  an  Atheist  to  ask  such  a  question,  Avhat 
must  have  been  the  man  who  answered  itt     Yet  he  urged 

This  was  the  substance  of  a  more  protracted  conversation. 


76  ASPERSIOiNSJ  OF    L\N1VERSALI3TS 

me  into  the  ministry,  and  left  the  country  for  the  East. — 
After  dehvering  some  four  or  fitve  discourses,  I  saw  more 
and  more  that  I  was  unqualified,  very  ignorant  of  the 
Scriptures,  and  unable  to  understand  or  reconcile  them. — 
Hence,  I  found  myself  in  doubt  whether  they  were  a  reve- 
lation; and  for  these  reasons  concluded  I  would  not  preach. 
I  did  not  renounce  universalism,  but  only  said  I  doubted 
the  authority  of  the  Bible,  Jbut  believed  universalism  to  be 
the  Bible  doctrine,  and  true,  if  that  book  could  be  relied  on. 
So  far  from  renouncing  universalism,  I  often  contended  for 
it  as  scriptural,  and  always  expressed  some  hope  that  it 
was  truth.  I  had  conversation  with  people  generally  in 
that  region  of  country,  on  the  subject,  and  all  know  that  I 
professed  all  the  time  to  bold  universalism  as  the  Scripture 
doctrine,  and  always  expressed  some  belief  that  the  BibJe 
was  true;  and  that  I  never  took  pains  to  inculcate  Deism, 
though  I  expressed  my  fears  that  it  might  be  the  truth. — 
Not  a  single  man  at  this  time,  ever  heard  me  express  a  sin- 
gle doubt  that  there  was  a  God.  So  far  from  it,  I  contend- 
ed against  atheism  in  a  number  of  instances.  Sometimes 
universalists  would  tell  me  that  such  doubts  as  mine  need 
not  hinder  my  preaching.  And  some  told  me  that  I  believ- 
ed as  much  as  Mr.  Smith.  Whether  I  did  or  not,  I  could 
not  tell,  but  he  had  informed  me  of  his  having  been  brought 
up  a  Deist,  and  that  he  turned  from  that  to  universalism 
not  long  before  he  -commenced  in  the  ministry.  And  it 
may  be  added,  that  many  of  his  remarks  to  me  tended  much 
to  produce  those  doubts  of  which  1  have  here  spoken. — 
About  three  years  afterw^uds,  after  having  reflected  much 
on  the  subject,  and  read  Young's  Night  Thought's  on  th» 
subject,  I  became  satisfied  with  the  validity  of  the  Scrip- 
tures ;  and  commenced  preaching  universalism  with  fer- 
Tour  and  zeal,  believing  it  to  be  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus  ; 
but  did  not  ask  and  receive  any  formal  admission  to  the 
connexion  of  universalists  till  the  lime  referred  to  in  the 
Renunciation,  unless  I  might  have  received  a  licen-o,  which 


EXAMINED  AND  REPELLED.  // 

I  do  not  recollect.  From  what  I  had  heard  Mr.  Smith 
sfty,  at  the  time  of  our  first  acquaintance,  I  had  supposed  it 
possible  that  he,  having  been  brought  up  a  deist,  was  one 
yet ;  but  that  he  thought  it  fof  the  good  of  mankind  to  be- 
lieve in  universal  salvation,  and  preached  it  upon  that  prin- 
ciple. For  this  reason,  I  asked  him,  some  years  afterwards, 
whether  he  really  believed  in  revelation.  And  in  justice 
to  him,  I  say,  he  told  me,  he  had  not  a  doubt  of  its  truth. 
He  adds, 

"In  the  records  of  the  'Western  Association  ofUniver- 
sahsts' for  1817,  is  the  following  remark  ;  'In  November, 
this  year,  Rev.  Lewis  C.  Todd,  a  young  man  of  good  at- 
tainments, and  superiour  talents,  commenced  preaching  the 
everlasting  Gospel  of  universal  salvation,  in  the  county  of 
Chautauque.  He  delivered  a  fev/  discourses  with  unquali- 
fied approbation,  but  some  difficulties  arose  in  his  mind 
concerning  the  providences  of  God,  which  terminated  in  the 
complete  subversion  of  his  faith;  and  the  suspension  of  his 
ministry." 

The  above  clause  was  doubtless  inserted  in  those  re- 
cords by  Mr.  Smith  himself;  and  he  was  possessed  of  no 
information  from  me  on  the  subject  whatever,  but  had  sim- 
ply heard  that  I  stopped  preaching  through  unbelief.  He 
doubtless,  recollected  our  previous  conversation  about  the 
existence  of  evil  under  the  government  of  a  good  and  Al- 
mighty Being,  and  therefore  supposed  that  to  be  the  diffi- 
culty.   He  adds, 

'•He  continued  in  this  semi-atheistical  state  of  mind,  for 
some  two  or  three  years,  when  he  returned  again  to  the 
profession  and  the  ministry  of  universalism.  But  from  what 
had  transpired,  it  was  sufficiently  plain,  that  though  a  man 
of  the  first  order  of  pulpit  talents,  he  wanted  stability  of 
character."* 

I  was  not  in,  and  did  not  continue  in  this  **  semi-atheisti- 


*VVhen  Mr.  Smith  turned  from  deism,  in  which  he  was  brought 
up,  to  universalism,  should  we  conclude  "from  what  transpired, 
that /te  wanted  stability  of  character"?  Or  does  the  change  fron: 
deism  to  universalism,  imply  no  alteration,  and  of  course,  no  insta^- 


78  AsrERSioxs  of  umversalists 

cal  state  ot  mind."  I  say  before  the  whole  country  where 
I  lived  during  the  "  tw  o  or  three  years,"  that  I  never  profes- 
sed af^/swi,  though  I  inclined  to  the  profession  of  deism,  in 
a  moderate^ense.  As  to  my  wanting  "stability  of  charac- 
ter," I  cheerfully  confess  that  I  am  not  an  immutable  be- 
ing—that I  am  §0  ignorant  as  to  learn  something  by  living — 
that  I  am  not  so  wilfully  obstinate  as  to  adhere  to  an  idea, 
because  I  began  with  it,  after  I  am  satisfied  that  it  is  wrong. 
And  God  grant  that  I  may  be  always  learning,  and  always 
advancing  in  truth.     He  adds, 

"The  reflection  naturally,  occurs,  in  this  place,  that  if 
Mr.  Todd,  without  taking  the  doctrine  of  endless  sufferings 
into  the  account,  could  suppose  there  was  sin  and  misery 
enough  in  the  world  to  justify  the  disbelief  of  the  existence 
of  God,  what  will  he  be  likely  to  infer  now?" 

Mr.  Todd  nerer  ^icZ  suppose  "there  was  sin  and  misery 
enough  in  the  world  to  justify  the  disbelief  in  the  existence 
of  a  God,"  and  what  he  is  likely  to  infer  now,  is,  that  Mr. 
Smith  has  been  most  egregiously  mistaken  in  supposing  all 
these  things,  or  else  he  has  wilfully  fangled  up  all  this  stuff, 
for  the  base  purpose  of  injuring  my  influence  in  turning  the 
wicked  from  their  wickedness.  He  is  likely  also  to  infer, 
that  able  sophists  have  the  wit,  and  sometimes  the  malice, 
to  conjure  into  being  many  things  not  true,  by  the  misrep- 
resentation of  what  is  true.  He  is  likely  also  to  infer,  that 
all  creation  around  bira,  always  was,  and  is,  abundant  proof 
to  him,  that  a  God  exists.  That  we  have  no  evidence, 
that  he  could  have  made  a  better  world  than  he  did,  subject 
to  both  sin  and  misery.  That  we  nave  no  evidence,  that 
what  is  consistent  with  God  to  suffer  to  be  now,  may  not  be 
consistent  with  him  to  suffer  to  be,  any  other  time,  and  all 
other  times.     He  adds, 

"And  it  cannot  be  denied  that  he  now  has  one  reason  for 
doubting  the  goodness  of  God,  which  was  not  included  in 
his  first  renunciation." 

Here  ho  talks  as  if  he  would  have  it  believed,  I  had  made 
a  former  renuneiation,  and  assigned  a  reason  that  God  was 


EXAMl.N'EO  A>D  JIEPELLED.  79 

not  good.  I  never  had  made  "his  first  renunciation"  and 
never  doubted  the  goodness  of  God.  I  never  had  any  rea- 
son to  doubt  it,  and  have  not  '*  one  more  reason ;"  for  doubt- 
ing it  now. 

After  talking  about  Dr.  Stedman,  and  of  his  becoming  an 
enthitsiast  and  fanatick,  because  he  is  a  methodi.st,  (which, 
in  an  adhering  universalist,  is*' charity — the  bond  of  per- 
feotness — that  asBimilatesto  God,"  &c.  but  which  becomes 
'•the  gall  of  bitterness"  after  he  renounces.)  he  says, 

"Let  it  be  recollected,  then,  that  about  two  years  since 
he  became  the  publisher  of  a  religious  newspaper — that 
when  he  commenced  this  undertaking,  lie  must  have  pre- 
sumed on  the  support  of  those,  to  a  greater  or  a  less 
amount,  who  were  already  the  patrons  of  other  similar 
journals;  and,  of  course,  that  a  part  of  his  patronage  must 
be  withdrawn  from  existing  publications.  The  result  has 
shown  that  his  paper  was  not  well  sustained  ;  and  whatever 
might  have  been  his  expectations,  he  has  complained,  in 
terms  so  pointed  and  indignant  as  to  leave  no  doubt  of  his 
feelings  and  his  regret." 

In  the  very  beginning  of  the  2d  volume  of  the  •'  Geniug 
of  Liberty,"  many  old  subscribers  fell  of!',  in  consequence 
of  its  becoming  a  weekly  paper;  and  for  a  time,  I  thought 
the  patronage  would  be  very  small,  and  at  that  time  I  com- 
plained. Afterwards  new  subscribers  were  added,  so  as  to 
take  all  my  back  copies.  I  had  about  six  hundred,  which 
I  believe  was  more  than  the  '*  Gospel  Advocate"  had  du- 
ring its  second  year.  I  also  complained  along  in  the  year, 
frequently,  not  for  want  of  patronage,  as  Mr.  Smith  and 
Mr.  Grosh  would  have  it  supposed,  but  of  the  many  sub- 
scribers, who  would  take  the  paper  a  yean  a*  .1  then  run 
away,  or  discontinue  without  paying  up.  I  found  many 
such  worthless  fellows,  liberal  to  patronize  the  '*  glorious 
doctrine,"  and  I  was  very  liberal  to  expose  them  as  fast  as  I 
found  them  out.     He  graciously  adds, 

'•  Here,  then,  appears  to  be  fixed  the  point,  on  which 
turns  much  of  the  canting  respecting  the  want  of  morality 
among  nniversalists.  Had  they  given  him  some  thousands 
of  good  and  responsible  subscribers  to  the  "Geniuf,"  there 


80  ASPERSIONS  or    DMVERSALISTS 

i3  reason  to  believe  we   should  never  have   hesirdaword 
about  the  want  of  moral  power  in  universalism." 

This  is  his  charge,  and  made  against  all  truth.  Had  I 
been  pursuing  any  other  calling,  no  matter  what,  these 
charitable  men  would  have  thus  made  out  the  motive.  I 
shall  state  facts  as  they  are.  i.  I  could  have  continued 
the  paper,  and  without  doubt,  made  it  profitable.  2d.  For 
Bome  years  I  had  expressed  to  many  universalists  that  I 
could  not  see  the  doctrine  do  much  good,  that  on  that  ac- 
count, I  was  almost  persuaded  sometimes,  not  to  preach  any 
more.  3d.  Mr.  Stacy  cannot  deny,  that  ever  since  he  has 
been  in  the  western  country,  for  some  two  or  three  years, 
whenever  I  have  kad  an  opportunity,  I  have  been  complain- 
ing of  the  swearing,  drinking,  gambling,  and  other  vicious 
habits  among  universalists,  and  the  entire  want  of  any  thing 
like  a  religious  course  among  them.  Mr.  Stacy  too  always 
used  to  admit  that  things  were  so;  and  often  expressed  his 
regret'lhat  it  was  so :  but  hoped  that  universalists  would 
some  day  take  a  different  course.  Almost  a  year  before 
the  Renunciation,  I  was  at  ff'arren,  (Pa.)  preached  in  the 
morning  and  evening,  and  Mr.  Sweet  in  the  afternoon. — 
Miv  Sweet  was  a  universalist  preacher  from  Ohio,  who  had 
^ome  there  that  day  with  Mr.  Stacy.  We,  there,  in  com- 
pany with  others,  were  talking,  that  day,  on  the  character 
and  irreligious  course  of  universalists  generally. — Mr.  Sweet 
said,  that  he  was  generally  and  extensively  acquainted  with 
universalists  in  Ohio — that  there  was  very  little  of  the  ap- 
pearance of  religion  or  piety  among  them — that  societies, 
almost  without  number,  had  been  formed,  but  the  members 
seemed  to  take  no  interest  in  the  cause,  and  generally, 
within  two  or  three  years  after  their  formation,  some  would 
join  the  orthodox,  but  most  would  avow  deism;  and  they 
would  cease  to  be,  as  societies.  He  represented  them  to 
be  in  a  very  dead,  low,  and  miserable  condition,  as  it  res- 
]>ect.s  religion ;  and  he  considered  this  to  be  the  general 
coBdition  of  universalists.  Mr.  Stacy  was  by,  and  did  not 
deny  that  it  was  f^o,  tat  ssid  thitt  wc  must   try   lo    bring 


EXAMINED  AI*D    REPELLZD.  SI 

about  a  better  state  of  things.  Others  were  present  to  hear 
some  of  the  conversation.  A  person  present  at  that  time 
asked  me  why  it  was  so,  that  universahsts  would  take  such 
a  course  as  they  did;  and  I  answered,  "The  reason  is,  that 
the  principal  part  of  universahsts  are  deists  in  reahty;" 
the  person  replied,  "I  believe  in  my  soul  they  are."  This 
was  in  the  presence  of  Mr.  Stacy,  and  he  smiled,  which  1 
considered  his  assent  that  it  was  true.  I  told  Mr.  Sweet 
that  his  description  of  universahsts  would  apply  generally 
to  them  wherever  I  had  been  acquainted  with  them;  and 
he  told  me  he  did  not  care  about  going  among  them  if  that 
were  the  case. 

I  wish  to  be  distinctly  understood  as  applying  to  univer- 
sahsts generally  and  not  universally.  I  am  acquainted 
with  individuals,  professing  that  doctrine,  that  sustain  the 
purest  morality  ;  and  many  such  not  only  have  been  bur 
are  yet  my  friends,  and  will  be  so  after  all  the  eastern  '*  Lu- 
minaries" can  say.  1  am  acquainted  with  some  deists  too, 
of  good  morality;  but  this  does  hot  show  the  systems  to 
have  a  general  good  effect. 

To  show  farther,  that  I  iiad  a  long  time  been  deploring 
the  inutility  of  the  doctrine,  before  the  **point"on  which 
Mr.  Smith  makes  to  turn  the  "  canting  respecting  the  want 
of  morality  among  universahsts,"  I  will  make  an  extract  from 
a  sermon,  which  I  preached  before  the  universahsts  in 
.Jamestown,  in  December  of  1831,  and  published  in  my 
paper,  almost  two  years  before  the  renunciation.  The 
reader  will  keep  in  mind,  that  at  that  time,  I  spoke  of  the 
doctrine  as  the  truth.  After  speaking  of  the  want  of  piety 
among  its  professors,  I  said, 

•'  We  regret — most  deeply  regret  to  be  compelled  to  say, 
that  such  is  the  present  condition  of  many  believers  in  this 
country.  Your  speaker  has  seen  it — Long  has  he  seen  it. 
Often  has  his  heart  pained  ;  and  the  shades  of  many  a  night 
have  witnessed  the  tean  that  wet  his  pillow.  *  »  *  I 
could  stand   unmoved   against   my  enemies,  though  they 


82  ASPERsio^is  or  dniversalists 

were  a  world  in  arms — could  I  see  those,  who  have  tasted 
snd  seen  that  the  Lord  is  good,  whose  souls  have  warmed 
and  expanded  into  eternal  life  at  the  fountain  of  rich  and 
boundles  g^ce,  could  I  see  them  walking  forth  in  the  beau- 
ty of  holiness,  and  showing,  in  their  lives,  the  light  and 
fruits  of  the  doctrine,  in  all  their  amiable  attractions  and 
divine  loveliness.  Yes — would  they  come  out  from  the 
world,  as  christians,  and  banish  from  them  its  alluring  cor- 
ruptions— would  they  assume  before  the  world,  and  before 
God,  the  character  of  christians,  (does  not  this  imply  that 
I  thought  they  were  not?)  and  put  on  in  earnest  the  pano- 
ply of  the  christian  virtues,  though  their  ?  umber  might  be 
small,  they  would  be  mighty  in  strength.  *  *  *  In 
viewcf  the  undisciplined  and  mixed  mass  of  people,  that 
more  or  less  favour  our  doctrine  in  this  country,  their  gen- 
eral indifference  and  inattention  to  the  pleasures  of  the 
sanctuary,  can  it  be  wondered  that  some  doubt  whether  we 
really  intend  to  be  a  christian  sect,  or  only  the  amalgama- 
tion of  all  characters  in  opposition  to  orthodoxy  ?  It  is 
time  that  we  decide  this  question  distinctly.  It  is  time  that 
our  scattered  brethren  determine,  either  to  abandon  all  pre- 
tentions to  Christianity,  and  openly  espouse  the  gloom  and 
solitude  of  scepticism,  or  else  draw  the  line  distinctly  be- 
tween profession  and  practice.  If  we  prefer  the  latter,  our 
course  is  manifest.  We  must  have  something  more  than 
the  yrofession  of  religious  tenets?  We  must  do  something 
more  than  to  oppose  the  orthodoxy.''^ 

Now  at  the  time  this  sermon  was  published,  plainly,  in- 
sinuating all  that  I  have  since  said  about  universalists,  Mr. 
Stacy  applauded  it  to  me,  and  said  it  was  what  they  needed. 
I  sent  the^sarae  sermon  to. Mr.  Smith  ;  and  yet  he  tells  us, 
aftex'near  two  years,  that  if  my  paper  had  not  proved  at 
last,  not  to'jbe  well  sustained,  ''  tli-ere  is  reason  to  believe 
we  should  never  have  heard  a  word  aboutthe  moral  power 
of  universalism."  Yet  Mr.  Smith  is  a  great  man.  lie 
must  have  noticed  such  hints   at  the  time  ;  and  no  doubt 


EXAMINEC  AND    RiCPKLLED.  83 

Mr.  Stacy  had  tokl  him  how  I  had  talked  some  years ;  yet 
he  thinks  we  should  not  have  heard  a  ivord  of  that  kind, 
had  not  the  "Genius"  failed.  No — he  doejj  not  s'dy  lie 
thinks  so,  but  "  there  is  reason  to  believe"  so.  As  we 
should  be  sorry  to  be  obliged  to  believe  that  such  a  maa 
would  asseit  what  he  knew  to  be  false,  we/must  think  his 
meaning  to  be,  that  although  he  did  not  believe  so,  be 
thought  others  would  have  "  reason  to  believe"  so,  from  his 
representations,  and  those  of  his  fellow  labourers.   He  adds, 

"  Where  shall  we  look  with  the  hope  of  finding  the  su- 
periour  morality  of  limitarians  ?  It  has  been  claimed,  and 
asserted  with  the  most  unblushing  effrontery,  till  the  world 
asks  for  better  evidence  than  assertion — until  it  is  alike  re- 
volting to  common  decency,  and  offensive  to  sober  truth, 
for  the  ministers  of  any  sect  to  preach  about  the  superiour 
moral  efficacy  of"  the  doctrine  of  hell  torments." 

As  to  this,  we  a§k  the  reader  to  open  the  Bible  and  see 
whether  that  contains  the  "  doctrine  of  hell  torments." — 
Examine  Psalms  xviii.  5  ;  cxvi.  3  ;  Matth.  v.  22  ;  x.  28 ; 
Luke  XII.  5  ;  Mark  ix.  47.  Mr.  Smith  in  speaking  so  dis- 
dainfully of  the  "  doctrine  of  hell  torments"  had  probably 
forgotten  that  he  professed  to  respect  the  Bible.  But 
waiving  this,  we  admit  that  limitarians  sometimes  do  wrong; 
but  they  generally  acknowledge  the  necessity  of  leading  a 
good  Ufe.  They  take  much  pains  to  promote  piety  and 
virtue.  They  encourage  all  the  publick  efforts  to  build  up 
good  society,  and  are,  in  fact,  generally  pious  and  good. 
They  do  not  swear,  nor  ridicule  the  Bible,  religion,  tem- 
perance, nor  any  of  the  means  used  to  promote  the  chris- 
tian virtues  and  the  general  moral  health  of  mankind. — 
What  world  is  it  that  "asks  for  better  evidence,"  &c.  ? 
Infidels  ask  for  the  evidence— the  vicious  and  abandoned 
among  the  universalists  ask  for  it.  (The  candid  among 
them  know  and  admit  the  general  "  superiour  morahty  of 
limitarians.")  The  corrupt  irreligious,  profligate,  and 
impious,  of  course,  will  not  admit  any  body  to  be  better 
ihan  themselves.     We  mean  not  to  be  undewtood,   that 


81  ASPERSIONS  OK    UMIVKRSALISTS 

Mr.  Sniiih  is  such  a  character ;  but  through  sectarian  pro- 
judice,  he  is  indulging  the  same  feelings,  and  unfortunat«lj 
has  the  body  of  the  loose  and  abandoned  on  his  tide.  H« 
adds, 

"But  it  i» ineffably  ridiculous  for  a  raeihodist  to  talk  ef 
the  high  morality  of  his  doctrines — and  nevermore  so,  than 
when  he  would  contrast  his  ostentatious  parade  of  sanctity, 
with  the  unobtrusive  and  practical  virtue  of  universalists." 
When  I  renounced  universalism,  I  was  not  a  naethodist ; 
neither  had  I  determined  what  dfinominatioo  of  christians  I 
should  unite  with  ;  nor  whether  1  should  with  any — I  had 
no  definite  plan  of  operations  then  in  my  own  mind.  So  I 
said  nothing  at  all  about  the  high  morality  of  the  metho- 
dist  doctrine  ;  as  I  was  not  a  member  of  any  class  of  chris- 
tians, and  had  no  reference  to  any  except  the  universalists. 
But  I  think  the  *' ostentatious  parade  of  sanctity"  of  the 
methodists,  consists  m  their  humble  efforts  to  obey  God — 
to  live  devout  and  pious  lives — to  grow  in  grace  and  in  all 
the  christian  virtues,  thatxvhen  they  com*  to  die,  they  may 
die  in  peace,  rejoicing  in  their  Saviour,  and  go  home  to  his 
glorious  kingdom.  And  the  "unobtrusive  practical  vir- 
tue of  universalists"  is,  generally,  Sabbath  breaking,  pro- 
fanity, intemperance,  contempt  of  all  the  appearances  and 
meens  of  piety,  horrid  fears  of  priestcraft,  hut  no  fears  about 
any  other  craft ;  gambling;  laughing,  scoffing  and'swcaring 
about  praying,  preaching,  religious  meetings,  and  religious 
people ;  finding  contradictions  in  the  Bible,  and  other  great 
difficulties  ;  etc,  etc.  ete.     He  adds, 

"  Especially  when  he  knows,  and  all  the  world  knows, 
tliat  virtue  has  never  yet  found  a  sanctuary  so  sacred,  but 
it  has  been  profaned  by  the  ministers  of  that  denomin- 
ation. We  rejoice  that  there  are  amiable  exceptions  to 
this  general  remark,  but  that  there  are  only  exceptions^ 
should  teach  them  and  there  converts  more  modesty." 

Now  as  Mr.  Smith  is  a  universalist,  this  sweeping  as- 
sertion will  be  the  exercise  of  "  charity"  and  the  "bond 
of  perfectness,"  and  that  "  unbounded  love"  which  *' as- 
similates ud*  to  God;"  but  if  Mr.  Smith  ever  rer.<>unce   uni- 


EXAMINED  AND  REPELLED.  85 

versalism,  his  friend  Skinner,  in  attempting  to  s^ia  him 
for  his  audacity,  will  call  it  the  "  gall  of  bitterness  and  the 
bonds  of  iniquity,"  and  a  "  spirit  entirely  foreign  to  that  of 
true  universalism,"  though  he  might  skin  himself  again 
by  it. 

With  regard  to  the  methodist  preachers,  I  think  they 
have  a  vast  number  of  them,  and  many  among  their  la- 
bouring local  preachers  especially,  who  are  not  very  tal- 
ented or-iearned  ;  and  among  so  many  it  would  be  marvel- 
lous, if  there  were  not  some  bad  ones.  But  on  the  other 
side,  I  think  there  is  not  more  devotion  to  piety  nor  more 
real  talents  in  any  order  of  clergy  in  the  world  than  among 
the  raethodists.  They  have  a  vast  many  men  of  the  very 
highest  order  of  talents.  Their  ardent,  fervid,  burning  el- 
oquence is  distinguished,  and  has  distinguished  them 
throughout  Christendom.  As  to  the  common  members, 
they  have  all  varieties,  as  might  be  expected,  but  I  believe 
there  are  many  of  them — very  many,  whose  sincerity  and 
ardent  piety  are  such  as  to  command  the  admiration,  as 
well  as  to  warm  the  heart  of  every  christian  and  philanthro- 
pist that  knows  them.* 


*Since  my  Renunciation,  I  havo  not  considered  myself  a  gscta- 
rianin  the  common  sense  of  that  term.  I  have  no  sectarian  pre- 
judices nor  hostilities.  And  my  main  object  and  desire  is  to  oppose 
infidelity  and  wickedness,  and  promote  Christianity,  piety  and  vir- 
tue. The  points  about  which  christians  disagree  and  dispute,  I 
consider  comparatively  unimportant,  though  I  have  my  own 
judgement  on  them.  I  thinli  the  friends  of  Christ  should  not  suf- 
fer their  different  views  on  minor  points  of  theology  to  interfere 
with  good  feeling  and  mutual  fellowship.  They  should  not  dis- 
cuss the  unimportant  points  which  separate  them ;  especially  titfi 
less  some  particular  circumstance  renders  it  necessary ;  and  then 
always  in  a  spirit  of  forbearance  and  christian  courtesy.  The  busi- 
ness of  every  i^rfeacher  of  the  gospel,  is  to  bring  home  the  great 
outhnes  of  Christianity  to  the  consciences  of  men;  and  persuade 
them  to  repent  and  forsake  sin,  and  practice  holiness.  Although 
men  will  think  differently  on  some  points,  they  will  all  be  the 
friends  of  Christ  or  his  enemies.  If  they  are  his  friends,  they  should 
be  friendly  to  one  anotlier  ;  and  sweeten  all  tlieir  denominational 
disputes  with  good  temper  and  candour.  All  christianf?  have 
enough  to  do  to  oppose  the  common  enemy.  I  consider  myaelf 
aitconntable  for  tlie  errours  or  failings  of  no  denomination  or  clasa 
of  people,     laeek  no  popularity  in  the  world,  and  am  only  am- 

8 


86 


ASPERSIONS  OF    DNIVERSAL13TS 


He  concludes  with  some  remarks,  which  I  cannot  under- 
stand— for  instance, 

"  In  due  time  he  will  see  and  admit  the  absurdity  and  ie- 
vierity  of  such  insinuations." 

What  he  means  by  temerity  I  know  not.  It  may  be  te- 
merity (or  me  to  speak  my  sentiments  ;  but  the  author  of 
the  piece  was  mistaken  if  he  thinks  I  fear  him  and  his  co- 
adjutors more  than  God — not  so.  1  know  not  what  pun- 
ishment they  intend  to  inflict ;  but  I  trust  in  the  omnipo- 
tent hand  that  gave  me  being ;  and  hope  to  so  live,  that  in 
death,  I  can  reflect  that  I  have  been  instrumental  in  tnrn- 
ing  some  from  vicious  pursuits  which  lead  to  misery  and 
ruin.     It  is  hoped  that  they  do  not  mean  to  Morganize  me. 

I  have  now  answered  in  order  the  writers  for  one  uni- 
versalist  paper,  only ;  but  others  have  foamed  out  their 
wrath  in  a  very  similar  manner.  The  horde  of  univorsal- 
ist  editors  appeared  to  be  afl*ected  by  the  Renunciation,  like 
a  hornet's  nest  upon  receiving  a  fire  coal.  But  this  reply 
will  answer  them  all,  as  they  are  little  more  than  the  echo 
of  each  other.  Upon  an  examination  of  all  these  facts, 
how  clearly  it  appears,  1.  That  the  author,  becoming  con- 
vinced of  the  errour  of  universalism,  and  of  its  fatal  and 
pernicious  tendency,  did,  like  an  honest  man,  and  a  philan- 
thropist, renounce  it;  knowmg  that  in  so  doing,  he  was 
sacrificing  his  highest  pecuniary  interests ;  and  bringing 
upon  himself  the  unsleeping  vengeance  of  malicious  men. 
2.  And  that  these  men,  who  boast  of  being  the  very  cham- 

bitious  to  do  some  little  good  vsrhile  I  act  in  a  publick  capacity. 
And  would  much  rather,  on  my  own  account,  spend  the  rest  of  my 
days  in  perfect  retirement,  far  from  the  strifes  and  censures  of  men, 
where  I  might  read,  and  think,  and  enjoy  the  sweets  of  uninter- 
rupted peace.  I  fear  universalist  editors  will  make  it  necessary  to 
write  a  few  volumes  more,  in  this  "seven  years  war  for  inde- 
pendence," before  they  will  make  peace.  But  I  hope  they  will 
not ;  for  I  want  not  the  labour ;  and  as  to  the  notoriety,  I  only  re- 
gret the  necessity  of  getting  po  much.  For  I  fully  believe,  and 
have  long  believed,  that  they,  who  are  but  httle  known,  and  have 
but  little  intercourse  with  mankind,  enjoy  the  moat  real  and  sub- 
stantial happiness. 


EXAMINED  AND  REPELLED.  87 

pion3  of  benevolence,  and  the  only  charitable  men  in  the 
world,  did  immediately  begin  to  sophisticate,  and  torture, 
and  misrepresent  every  thing  in  relation  to  it ;  and  con- 
jured up  mountains  of  suspicious  circumstances,  which  af- 
ter all,  upon  investigation,  vanish  into  the  baseless  visions 
of  jealousy  and  malice;  and  '*  leave  not  a  wreck  behind."* 
I  am  not  conscious  of  having  had  the  least  unfriendly 
feelings  toward  the  body  of  the  universalists  at  the  time  of 
writing  my  Renunciation.  I  did  not  intend  either  to  abuse 
them,  or  to  injure  their  feelings,  any  farther  than  would  be 
absolutely  necessary  to  let  my  acquaintance  know  why  1 
left  them.  I  was  obliged  to  leav6  them,  because  I  was  ful- 
ly satisfied  the  doctrine  was  untrue,  and  not  the  doctrine  of 
Christ  and  the  apostles;  and  that  its  general  promulgation, 
instead  of  improving  the  condition  of  mankind,  would  be  a 
serious  and  fatal  evil.     I  positively  know  that  my  convie- 

•That  the  world  may  gee  farther  how  powerfully  my  charitable 
Ivenunciation  altered  the  minds  and  feelings  of  universalist  preach- 
ers towards  me,  I  will  copy  the  following  from  this  same  Mr. 
Skinner,  published  in  the  4th  vol.  p.  117,  of  his  paper  at  Utica; 
only  about  one  month  before  the  Renunciation  appeared. 

"  The  Genius  of  Liberty,  which  has  been  published  for  nearly 
two  years  at  Jamestown,  Chautauque  county,  N.  Y.  by  Br.  Lew^is 
C.  Todd,  we  learn  by  a  late  number  of  it  is  to  be  discontinued  at 
the  end  of  the  present  volume,  which  closes  in  May  or  June  next. 
We  regret  that  the  patronage  of  the  Genius  of  Liberty,  has  not 
l>een  such  as  to  warrant  its  continuance  ;  we  have  ever  considered 
Br.  Todd  as  oueof  the  best  of  men  and  one  ofthe  best  of  our  writers. 
However,  we  know  that  the  task  of  an  editor  and  publisher  is  gener- 
ally rather  a  thankless  one,  however  faithful  his  labours  or  great  his 
sacrifices  for  the  publick  good  may  be  ;  and  perhaps  Br.  T.  feels 
anxious  to  get  rid  of  the  labours  and  toils,  and  perplexifies  and 
vexations  of  such  a  life.  We  cannot  blame  him  if  he  does.  We 
hope  when  he  leaves  his  editorial  he  will  be  better  able  to  attejid  to 
his  ministerial  labours,  that  prosperity  and  peace  may  attend  him 
tJirough  life,  find  that  his  patrons,  especially  all  that  are  good,  will 
become  the  patrons  of  other  and  similar  publications,  whose  own- 
ei-8  will  be  glad  of  their  support,  that  the  number  of  patrons  to 
universahst  papers  may  not  be  diminished.  We  hope  also  that  Br. 
T.  will  occasionally  furnish  us  vv^ith  an  article  from  his  able  pen." 
Whowouldsuppo.se  this  to  have  been  the  same  Mr.  Skinner, 
who  soon  after,  so  profusely  poured  out  his  vials  of  bitterness  upon 
me,  without  the  least  provocation,  only  that  I  had  ceased  to  be  a 
7iniversalist  •  Bnt  such  is  poor  human  nature.  I  feel  in  my  . 
iieart  this  moment  a  perfect  willingness  to  forgive  all  the  eiibrt|'y 
imong  infatuated  universahsts  to  injure  me  without  a  caus  o.         ■ 


88  ASPERSIOIfS    OF  UlflVEKSALISTS 

tious  aud  impressions  on  this  subject,  wrought  up  as  they 
were  at  last,  were  such,  that  I  could  not  have  continued  to 
preach  uuiversal  salvation,  any  more  than  I  could  be  guil- 
ty of  deliberate  murder.  In  view  of  my  accountability  to 
God,  and  the  short  time  allotted  me  to  live  I  dared  not  do 
otherwise  than  renounce  the  doctrine.  The  monarchy  of 
half  the  world  would  not  have  hired  me  to  continue  openly 
auniveisalist.  Could  I  have  retired  into  obscurity,  and 
avoided  the  cross  of  a  renunciation,  and  the  suspicions  and 
reproaches,  which  I  knew  would  fall  to  my  lot,  I  should 
gladly  have  done  so;  but  I  could  not  be  satisfied  that  i 
was  not  bound  to  do  more  than  that.  Many  that  know  n(^ 
my  feelings,  trials,  and  motives  on  this  subject,  of  course, 
will  execrate  me.  But  the  Great  Searcher  of  hearts, 
knows  that  I  have  acted  solely  from  the  convictions  of  duty. 


Additional  remarks  and  facts  hearing  on  the  subject  of  the 
Renunciation. 

it  has  been  abundantly  shown  already,  that  the  author 
of  this  book,  had  been  not  only  discouraged  with  tie  moral 
influence  exerted  by  universalism,  but  bad  frequently  ex- 
pressed his  dissatisfaction  to  numerous  friends,  and  also 
through  the  press  to  the  pnblick,  for  years  before  his  finjl 
Renunciation.  This  too  was  well  known  to  his  friends 
generally  in  Chautauque,  and  had  often  been  made  the 
subject  of  serious  conversation  with  such  of  them  as  were 
candid,  and  most  familiar  with  him.  Well  known  too  were 
thes?  facts  to  Mr.  Stacy,  and  partially  known  to  Messrs. 
Skinner  and  Smith.  Under  such  circumstances,  how 
much  more  fortunate  for  them,  would  it  have  been,  had 
they  barely  admitted  the  llenunciation  to  have  been  brought 
about  as  it  professed  to  be  ;  and  only  contended  its  author 


EXAMINED  A:VD    REPELLED.  BT* 

was  in  errour !  This  would  have  had  the  zippeatance  of 
honesty  and  candour,  and  would  have  accorded  with  that 
high  character  of  charity  which  universalist  teachers  have 
professed,  while  the  v/hole  world  knows  they  have  ex- 
ercised the  least  in  their  public!;  career  of  any  people  un- 
der the  whole  canopy  of  heaven  !  I  The  author  saw  these 
things  till  his  heart  sickened.  He  was  reading  many  uni- 
versalist periodicals  ;  and  becama  fully  satisfied  from  the 
drift  and  general  course  of  them,  that  their  secret  object 
appeared  to  be,  and  their  actual  effect  was,  to  raise  doubts, 
in  the  minds  of  their  readers,  on  onereHgious  subject  after 
another,  till  they  should  believe  in  none  ;  and  by  innuen- 
does and  sarcastick  reflections  upon  the  errours  of  chris- 
tians, to  spread  abroad  a  deep  and  universal  prejudice  against 
a  gospel  ministry,  the  Bible,  and  all  religion.  He  be- 
came satisfied  beyond  a  single  doubt  that  all  this  was  true. 
He  conversed  also  with  many  professors  of  universalism  at 
different  times,  and  found  most  all  of  them  to  view  the  sub- 
ject in  the  same  light.  Most  all  of  them  to  be  enemies  to 
Christianity,  and  to  consider  the  whole  engine  of  universal- 
ism  now  in  the  United  States,  to  be  a  shrewd  and  well  con- 
certed scheme,  to  bring  together  the  elements  and  efforts 
of  unbelief,  to  overthrow  in  the  end  the  christian  religion. 
His  candid  opinion  is,  and  has  long  been,  that  ninety-nine 
out  of  a  hundred,  who  profess  publickly  to  be  universalists, 
are  unbehevers  in  divine  revelation.  I  say  this  in  the  fear 
of  God,  as  the  result  of  all  that  I  know  of  them.  And  I  know 
too  thatthey  themselves,  when  they  read  this  will  know  that 
it  is  not  far  from  the  truth,  however  unwilling  they  may  be 
to  own  it.  Many  open  infidel  papers  had  already  advocated 
the  idea  of  building  up  a  government  in  the  United  States, 
that  should  be  purely  infidel,  and  they  were  calculating  on 
certain  success.  I  was  satisfied  from  the  general  aspect  of 
universalism  and  the  feelings  of  its  professors  generally, 
thatthey  were  actually  making  common  cause. 
Then  the  question  occurred,  which  side  shall  I  takie  ? — 


90  A?PERSI05S  or    U51VEKSALISTS 

There  is  to  be  no  middle  way.     We  must  either  stand  for 
Christ  or  Infidelity.     I   looked  forward — shall  religion  ha 
banished  from  the  Union?     Shall  the  black  banner  of  skep- 
ticism be  unfurled — universal  pollution  and  crime  crim- 
son our  happy  plains  ;  and  the  horrours  of  despair  freeze 
up  all  the  tender  germs  of  philanthropy  ;  and  extinguish 
the  last  vestige  of  faith,  tenderness,  virtue,  and  hope  ?     1 
looked  upon  my  children  ;  and  nature  herself,   in  her  own 
holy  eloquence,  pleaded  for  religion,  and  admonished  me 
to  be  a  christian,  and  come  out  from  the  ranks,  which  ap- 
peared to   be   tending  to  infidelity.     In  addition  to  all  I 
could  gather  about  the  religious  condition  of  universalists, 
from  my  own  observations  ;  and  what  Mr.  Sweet  informed 
me  from  Ohio,  I  saw  an  account  given  in  the-  "  Trumpet," 
of  Boston,  last  winter,    by  a    ''  restoratmiist,''    which  the 
editor  of  that  paper  inserted  to  show  how  universalists  are 
persecuted  by   the  restorationists.     The  editor  represente 
the  account  to  be  entirely   false.     But  I  know  the  writer 
to  be  a  man  of  high  respectability,  and  of  extensive  ac- 
quaintance with  universalists  generally  in  New  England, 
having  travelled  as  a  preacher  of  the  doctrine  v^^ry  exten- 
sively in  that   region.     I  knew,  furthermore,   that  his  ac- 
count would  apply   exactly  as  far  as  I  knew  any  thing 
about  universalists.     I  read  the  article  to  many  candid  uni- 
versalists before  my   Renunciation,  all  of  whom  acknowl- 
edged it  to  be  a  just  description  as  far  as  they  knew  them. 
As  this  article  is  referred  to  in  the  Renunciation,  I  give  it 
here  ;  it  speaks  the  very  truth  and  nothing  but  the  truth  in 
relation  to  the  sect,  as  far  as  I  know  any  thing  about  them. 
"  I  have  already  in  some  degree  called  your  attention  to 
"  the  nature  and  moral  tendancy  of  that  scheme  of  divinity 
"which  is  so  earnestly  pressed  upon  your  consideration. — 
"  I  will  not  at  present  enlarge  upon  this  subject,  but  will 
"  invite  your  attention  to  the   practical  tendency  of  that 
"  scheme  upon  society.     But  here  I  do  not  intend  to  touch 
"upon  the  moral  character  of  individuals.     I  shall  look  at 


EXAMINED  AND  REPELLED.  91 

-societies  ami  bodiee  of  raea.  If  the  reprosentationa  we 
'  have  giveQ  of  the  doctrine  be  true,  we  should  conclude 
•'  that  it  would  not  build  up  devout  and  permanent  socie- 
■'  ties.  And  how  is  the  fact  in  this  case?  Wo  see  from 
■'  the  ultra  papers  that  scores  of  societies  have  arisen  an- 
"  Dually  in  New  England  for  the  laat  ten  years.  And  what 
'*  is  the  present  standini^  of  these  societies  ?  I  cannot 
'*  speak  concerning  them  all  from  personal  knowledge. 
'*  But  having  haJ  a  personal  knowledge  of  the  situation, 
"  the  rise  and  fall  of  many,  I  can  speak  with  confidence, 
'^  and  what  I  shall  state  is  known  to  all  who  have  any 
"  knowledge  on  the  subject.  I  say  then,  that  more  than 
"  three-fourths  of  the  societies  which  have  arisen  within  the 
"  last  ten  years,  have  already  perished.  I  do  not  mean  that 
"  they  have  entirely  ceased  to  be,  but  that  they  have  re- 
"  laxed  their  efforts,  and  now  almost  a  total  indifference 
"  prevails*.  Take  this  as  an  example.  A  society  is  form- 
"  ed  in  a  certain  town  ;  and  fifty  or  sixty  male  members 
"  come  forward  and  unite  with  the  society.  Let  these  men 
•'  be  amply  sufficient  in  worldly  means  to  employ  a  preaoh- 
"  er  one  half  of  the  time  with  a  fair  salary,  without  taking 
'•  upon  themselves  a  burden  greater  than  what  is  borne  by 
"  the  great  mass  of  the  people.  Now  what  is  the  subse- 
"  quent  history  of  such  a  society.  For  the  first  year  they 
"  may  have  preaching  one  third  of  the  time,  for  the  second 
"  year  a  quarter,  for  the  third  one-sixth,  and  in  four  or 
**  five  years  they  have  no  preaching  at  all.  Or  perhaps 
*'  tliey  may  have  a  day  or  two  in  the  year,  if  a  person  hap- 
'*  pens  to  come  along  and  offer  his  services.  Now  this  is  a 
'^fair  rgipresentation  of  at  least  nine-tenths  of  the  universalist 
'^  societies  which  have  hccn  formed  for  the  last  ten  years. — 
"  Soma  of  them  may  have  been  a  little  more  prosperous, 
"  and  others  have  fallen  as  much  below  tlie  example  given. 
"  [  could  name  scores  of  societies  as  examples.  Take  the 
*'  country  societies  as  they  exist  at  the  present  time,  and  it 
"  would  require  the  joint  effort,  such   as  they  would  be 


92  ASPERSIONS  OF    U>'IVERSAL19TS 

"  disposed  to  make,  of. ten  or  a  dozen  socieAes  to  give  one 
"  preacher  constant  employ.  A  much  less  number  might 
"  employ  a  man  for  a  single  year,  but  take  five  years  to- 
•'  gether,  and  it  would  require  ten  societies.  I  do  not  say 
"  that  this  is  all  they  are  able  to  do,  but  I  say  that  it  is  all 
"  that  they  do  do,  or  will  do. 

"  Now  a  question  naturally  arises  as  to  the  cause  of  fail- 
"  ure.  The  friends  of  modern  universalism  tell  us  with 
'*  great  assurance,  that  no  cause  progresses  so  fast.  This 
"  in  one  sense  is  true,  and  it  is  equally  true  that  no  cause 
*'  dwindles  so  fast.  There  is  not  a  sect  in  the  land  ot 
"  the  same  numbers  and  ability,  that  does  so  little. — 
"  Three-fourths  of  the  societies  are  destitute  of  a  preach- 
*'  er,  and  take  no  active  means  to  obtain  one.  Socie- 
"  ties  rise  like  Jonah's  gourd,  and  like  that  frail  plant 
"  they  wither  away.  And  how  is  this  ?  To  what  cause 
"  must  we  ascribe  this  decline  in  almost  every  society  ? 
"This  has  sometimes  been  ascribed  to  the  want  of 
"  preachers,  but  the  truth  has  always  been  that  they  have 
"  had  as  many  preachers  as  could  obtain  support.  This 
"  falling  off  cannot  be  ascribed  to  the  operation  of  any  of 
"  our  laws,  for  the  laws  have  operated  as  favourable  to  them 
"  as  to  others.  It  cannot  be  ascribed  to  the  fact  that  the 
"  doctrine  was  new  and  unpopular,  for  this  would  always 
"  operate  the  most  powerfully  at  first ;  and  if  men  would 
'•break  the  fetters  of  popularity  and  form  themselves  into 
"  a  society,  they  would  not  be  deterred  from  pursuing  this 
"  subject  from  motives  of  popularity. 

"  To  what  cause  then  is  this  failure  to  be  ascribed  ?  We 
"  say  to  the  natural  tendency  of  the  doctrine.  That  we 
"  may  sec  this  tendency  let  us  give  a  specimen.  A  society 
'*  is  formed  and  a  preaeher  is  employed  for  a  day.  He 
"  commences  his  labours  or  exercises.  His  attack  upon 
"  the  orthodox  begins  and  ends  the  discourse.  It  is  de- 
"•  liv6red  with  that  kind  of  temerity  which  would  make  a 
'•  moderate  roan  shudder,  hut  this  passes  for  great  talents 


EXAMINED  AND  REPELLED. 


98 


"  with  many.  His  disoourse  Is  filled  with  low  mt,  and  se- 
"  verity,  which  exeltea  laughter  in  the  assembly.  The 
"  service  closes,  and  what  is  the  impression  that  is  left 
•'  upon  the  assembly.  They  are  highly  gratified  for 
"  the  most  part,  and  are  eager  to  engage  the  preacher 
"  again.  But  what  is  the  moral  impression  1  It  is  man- 
"  ifestly  bad.  Every  low  and  unprincipled  man  will 
*'  extol  it.  And  some  will  express  their  approbation 
"  with  an  oath-  '♦  He  is  a  smart  man,"  says  one. — 
*'  '*  He  gave  it  to  the  orthodox  good,"  says  another — 
"  "He's  no  hypocrite,"  eays  a  third,  *'  He  expresses  ray 
"  opinion  exactly,'.'  says  an  infidel,  '*  he  dont  hold  to  m»- 
"  king  a  fuss  and  whining  about  religion."  Such  remarks 
"  will  be  made  by  the  hearers,  and  you  m;  y  judge  of  the 
"  moral  effect.  The  preacher  comes  again  and  pursues 
'*  the  same  course,  with  the  same  effect.  They  then  em- 
'*  ploy  a  restorationist  of  a  Sabbath.  He  preaches  the  final 
"  reconciliation  of  all  things  to  God  ;  but  he  maintains  that 
"  men  must  be  saved  by  faith  and  repentance,  that  they 
*'  are  accountable  beings,  and  will  be  dealt  with  according 
'*  to  their  characters.  He  uses  no  wit,  excites  no  laughter, 
"  and  labours  to  make  his  hearers  virtuous  and  devout. 

"  But  how  is  this  received  by  the  assembly  I  Why  k 
"  produces  more  frowns  than  smiles.  *'  I  had  rathei  hear 
'*  the  orthodox,"  says  one  ;  '*  he  has  no  independence," 
"  eays  another ;  "  I  want  to  hear  a  man  come  to  the  point," 
"says  a  third.  The  deist  scolds,  tho  dissolute  swears, 
"  and  multitudes  tell  the  Committee  that  they  have  had 
"  enough  of  him.  Now  brethren,  as.  fanciful  as  the  repre- 
"  seutation  is,  that  is  a  fair  representation  of  what  frequenl- 
"  ly  takes  place.  But  what  is  tho  subsequent  history  of 
"  this  society  ?  They  have  a  preacher  of  their  own  liking 
"  occadonally,  but  in  a  year  or  two,  they  care  but  little 
"about  any  preaching.  They  think  and  judge  correctly 
"  from  what  they  have  heard,  that  preaching  does  but  little 
''  good:  and  that  the  Bible  is  like  a  fiddle,  it  can  be  made 


94  ASPERSIONS  or  universalists 

"  to  play  any  tune.  I  allow  that  there  are  some  exoep 
"  tious  to  this  representation.  lean  say  with  pleasure 
"  that  there  are  some  individuals  whose  feelings  are  hurt 
"  by  such  preaching,  and  who  wish  to  hear  something  that 
'*  is  sober  and  practical,  but  such  persona  are  generally  a 
"  minority,  and  they  have  to  give  way  to  the  more  noisy 
"  part  of  the  society.  This  society  in  a  few  years  dies 
"  away  ;  they  may  retain  their  legal  existence,  but  this  is 
"  about  all. 

*'  You  are  now  able  to  answer  these  questions,  why  their 
"  societies  are  no  more  permanent.  In  the  first  place, 
"  they  are  composed  in  a  great  degree  of  men  who  have  no 
"  religious  feelings,  and  many  of  them  have  no  faith  in  di- 
*'  vine  revelation  ;  and  instead  of  improving,  they  generally 
'•  grow  worse.  As  far  as  my  observation  has  extended, 
"  and  it  has  not  been  very  limited,  having  visited  scores  of 
"  societies,  it  is  my  firm  opinion  that  more  than  two-thirds 
"  of  the  males  who  are  warmly  attached  to  the  doctrine  of 
"  no  future  retribution,  are  not  believers  in  the  essential 
"  facts  of  divine  revelation.  I  have  also  been  present  at 
"  conventions,  and  heard  discourses  preached  on  ordina- 
"•  tion  occasions  too,  which  were  clearly  of  an  irreligious 
•'  tendency,  discourses  which  excited  more  levity  than  p»- 
"  ety,  and  went  more  directly  to  subvert  than  to  build  up 
"  religious  institutions.  And  these  discourses  came  ffom 
•'  those  who  were  grey  with  age,  who  were  held  up  as  a 
**  model  for  others !  These  statements  are  painful,  but 
*'  are  nevertheless  true.  Now  is  it  surprising  that  religioiw 
"  societies  should  wither  and  die  under  such  preaching  ? 
"  Brethren,  I  shall  leave  you  with  this  painful  recital.  Ro- 
"  mark  is  unnecessary.      Yours,  &c.  C.  H." 

In  reply  to  an  article,  which  came  out  in  a  universalist 

"'paper  of  New-York  on  the  Renunciation,  I  referred  to  a 

letter  recently  received  from  Rev.  Paul   Dean,  of  Boston. 

and  declared  that  Mr,  Dean  acknowledged   the  things  in 

tbo  Renunciation  were    generally  true.     Mr.    Dc^n  was 


EXAMINED  AND  REPELLED.  95 

many  years  a  very  popular  preacher  among  the  untvereal- 
ists,  (the  first  I  ever  heard,  and  who  charmed  me  to  the 
doctrine,)  but  being  disgusted  with  the  leyity  and  Impiety, 
of  the  sect,  he  came  out  in  company  with  some  others,  and 
organized  an  association  upon  a  very  different  foundation  ; 
and  called  themselves  •'restorationists."  Mr.  Whittemore 
of  the  "  Trumpet,"  noticing  it,  came  out  with  an  article 
pretending  to  doubt  whether  Mr.  Dean  had  written  me  any 
such  thing. 

Mr.  Dean  lived  in  his  city,  and  he  might  easily  have  ask- 
ed him,  if  he  had  any  doubts  on  the  subject ;  but  that 
HTould  not  do  so  well  as  to  say, 

"  Will  Lewis  C.  Todd  endeavour  to  screen  himself  from 
the  suspicion  of  having  misrepresented  Mr.  Dean,  by  pub- 
lishing that  gentleman's  letter  in  full  ?" 

Why  did  not  this  editor  wait  till  Mr.  Dean  complained 

■}{  being  misrepresented  ?     But  ithere  must  I  publish  his 

letter  in  full  ?     x\t  that  time  I  was  not  an  editor.     Could  I 

trust  it  to  be  sent  to  my  persecutors  for  publication  ?     And 

bow  did  he  know  but  the  lettercontained  many  things  totally 

improper  for  publication  ?   Yet  he  would  lay  me  under  the 

obligation  to  get  this   private  letter  published,  or  be  con- 

jidered  a  liar  in  the  fullness  of  his  overflowing  charity.     I 

io  not  know  as  Mr.  Dean  will  forgive  the  publication  of 

:he  following  extract  from  his  letter.     But  I  think  it  cDn- 

:ains  nothing  he  need  be  ashamed  of. 

"  Be  assured,  sir,  that  I  honour  most  of  the  feelings  you 

*  express,  and  for  one,  doubt  not  your  sincerity.  Many  have 
'  had  trials  similar  to  yours  as  to  the  fruits  and  tendency  of 

*  the  doctrine,  as  defined  in  modern  times,  by  Messrs.  Bal- 
'  lou,  Balfour,  and  Whittemore,  &c.     They   have  eeen 

*  with  grief  the  lightness  of  its  preachers,  the  levity  of 

*  manners  in  the  desk,  the  bitterness  of  their  spirit  to  all 
'  who  differ  from  themselves.  They  have  been  eatiefied 
'♦  of  the  inefficiency  of  the  sentiment,  especially  where  as- 
'  Bociated  with  fatahty,  materialism,  and  no  future  punifih- 


96  ASPERSio::?s  of  universalists 

'*  ment,  to  produce  the  reformation  and  conversion  of  sin- 
•'ners,  or  "the  perfecting  of  the  saintsi  ;"  but  knowing 
"  that  the  grace  of  God  has  not  only  been  perverted, 
•'  bnt  actually,  in  its  influence,  turned  mto  hisciviousuess, 
"  they  have  not,  therefore,  renounced  the  doctrine  of  the 
"  grace  of  God  that  bringeth  salvation  to  all  men,  -but 
"  separated  from  the  infidelity,  levity  and  corruption  with 
"  which  it  has  been  associated  ;  and  preach  it  fervent- 
•'  ly,  zealously,  and  as  we  believe  usefully,  under  its  most 
•*  ancient  and  appropriate  name  of  "  universal  restoration," 
"  or  the  final  "  restitution  of  all  things."  We  are  regu- 
"  larly  organized  into  on  independent  ecclesiastical  body. 
''  And  frona  what  1  have  heard  of  your  character  and  tal- 
"  ents,  should  yon  come  among  us,  we  could  be  useful 
"  to  you,  and  afford  you  the  opportunity  to  be  useful  lo 
"  many  others.  In  haste  yours  respectfully, 

"  Buffalo,  June  20th,  1833.  "  PAUL  DEAN." 

Boon  after  the  reception  of  the  above,  I  received  a  letter 
from  Mr.  Edwin  H.  Stone,  of  Boston,  containing  similar 
remarks,  from  which  I  only  extract  the  following ; 

*'  I  perceive  by  the  "Trumpet,"  of  this  city,  that  you 
"have  "renounced  universalism,"  it  being  a  doctrine. 
"  which,  in  your  opinion,  is  not  calculated  to  make  men 
"  "  honest,  benevolent,  social,  kind,  humble,  tolerant,  and 
"pious."  Whhmodem  ultra  universalism,  and  its  effects 
"  upon  society,  I  am  well  acquainted  :  and  three  years  ago 
"  the  restorationists  in  Massachusetts,  from  a  sense  of  duty 
•  to  God,  and  the  true  interests  of  the  christian  religion, 
*'  separated  from  the  universalists,  and  became  a  distinct  de- 
••  nomination.  They  were  thus  enabled  to  preach  without 
"  fear  of  "  making  difficulty  in  the  order,"  in  such  manner 
"  as  they  conceived  the  honour  of  Christ  and  the  interests 
"  of  his  religion  required.  For  this  step,  they  have  been 
"  much  persecuted,  and  have  had  all  manner  of  "  evil  spo- 
'*  ken  of  them  falsely." 

I  hope  the  two  gentlemen  above  will  excuse  me  for  taking 


EXAMINED  AND  REPELLED.  97 

the  liberty  I  have  with  their  letters,  as  I  wished  to  ahow,  that 

many,  who  have  preached  universaiisni)  have  seen  and  ac- 
knowledged the  same  thing  that  I  have  alleged. 

I  have  now  concluded  my  defence  against  the  aspersions 
of  the  editors.  I  am  aware  that  I  have  spoken  with  sever- 
ity of  them  ;  but  a  defence  against  the  unprovoked  person- 
al attacks  of  an  enemy  will  justify  more  severity  than 
would  otherwise  be  justifiable.  An  eminent  gentleman  of 
this  state,  wrote  me,  that  they  "  had  but  poorly  paid  me 
for  my  charity  toward  them  expressed  in  the  Renunciation," 
and  said  he  "  doubted  whether  they  knew  how  to  appreci- 
ate such  charity."  As  they  could  not  and  would  not  un- 
derstand any  thing  but  the  plain  severe  truth,  I  was,  by 
them,  put  to  the  painful  necessity  of  dealing  somewhat 
harshly  with  them,  contrary  to  my  first  intention.  But 
that  I  may  be  properly  understood,  I  will  say  here,  what  I 
think  of  universalist  preachers  generally.  It  is  believed 
that  most  of  them  are  brought  to  look  upon  the  common 
denominations  of  christians  as  far  from  right,  by  the  per- 
versions of  their  sentiments,  which  are  constantly  made  by 
universalists  and  infidels.  That  they  become  deeply  imbued 
with  prejudice  against  them ;  and  mainly  engage  in  uni- 
versalism,  from  mistaken  views  both  of  the  orthodox,  and 
of  the  true  interests  of  mankind.  That  the  nature  of  their 
doctrine  is  such,  that  most  of  them,  as  well  as  their  hear- 
ers, become  so  much  tinctured  with  skepticism,  that  their 
teachings  lead  to  the  same  end  that  open  infidelity  would. 
That  there  are  some  honest  and  sincere  among  both  teach- 
ers and  people,  1  have  no  doubt.  There  are  a  few  learned, 
gifted,  and  talented  men  among  the  preachers,  who  would 
be  useful  in  a  good  cause  ;  but  many  of  them  are  illiterate ; 
and  only  qualified  for  levity,  scurrility,  and  miserable  satire. 
Winchester  and  Murray,  I  think  were  pious,  but  their  sys- 
tem was  no  sooner  abroad,  than  infidels  who  had  been  foil- 
ed in  their  recent  open  attacks  on  religion,  by  the  able  con- 
futations that  had  been  pwbliEhed,  discovered  in  universal- 

9 


98  ASPERSIONS  OF    U.MVERSALISTS 

ism  a  disguise  for  their  doctrines,  and  spread  it  forth  with 
zeal,  fully  satisfied  that  it  would  answer  their  purpose  just 
as  well.  Hence  the  numerous  conversions  of  infidels  to 
universalism,  which  signifies  nothing  more  than  the  shift- 
ing of  an  unpopular  name  for  one  more  plausible.  Infidels, 
and  loose  wicked  men  have  cherished  the  doctrine  enough 
to  make  it  suspicious,  and  offensive  to  the  christian,  were 
there  no  other  objection  to  it. 


.    CHAPTER  III. 

The  fundamental  arguments  and  principles  of  uni- 
versalism  examined  and  exploded. 

SECTION  I. 

Introductory  remarks  on  the  belief  of  universalism. 

Universalism  simply  implies  the  doctrine  that  all  men 
will  be  finally  and  certainly  saved.  But  the  doctrine,  as 
now  generally  explained  and  professed,  is,  that  all  mankind 
will  certainly  be  immortal  and  happy  immediately  after 
death.  This  is  the  kind  of  universalism  professed  by  the 
principal  teachers  that  now  pass  by  that  denomination,  as 
distinguished  from  the  "  restorationists"  heretofore  refer- 
red to.  It  is  this  last  system  mainly  that  we  propose  to 
examine,  except  as  our  arguments  on  this,  may  in  some 
instances,  extend  to  the  other  also.  Universalists  general- 
ly endeavour  to  set  off  their  system,  by  making  the  oppo- 
site doctrine  appear  a  very  different  thing  from  what  it  re- 
ally is.  They  speak  of  "roasting"  and  "  burning  in  liter- 
al fire,"  *'  fire  and  brimstone,"  &c.  to  make  out  the  ap- 
pearance of  something  too  horrible  for  belief  on  the  other 
side.  Yet  it  is  well  known  that  christians  do  not  believe 
the  future  punishment  of  the  wicked  will  consist  of  *'  lit- 
eral fire  and  brimstone."  They  speak  of  "  the  fire  that 
never  shall  be  quenched"  of  "hell  fire,"  of  "everlasting 
fire,"  of  "  fire  and  brimstone,"  of  the  "  lake  of  fire,"  &lc. 
But  this  is  only  using  the  very  same  language,  which  the 
Bible  uses.  And  why  do  universalists  conclude  that  we 
hold  a  horrible  doctrine,  because  we  express  it  in  Bible 
language  ?  If  they  respect  the  Bible,  why  do  they  reject 
the  ideas  it  contains  ?  But  they  will  say,  that  all  such  lan- 
guage in  the  Bible  is  figurative,  and  should  not  be  inter- 
preted literally.  We  say  so  too.  But  if  it  was  proper  for 
the  Holy  Spirit  to  use  such  figurative  language  to  denote 


100.  ARGUMENTS  AltD  PRINCIPLES 

the  punishment  of  the  wicked,  why  is  it  not  proper  Ibrus  to 
use  it  to  denote  the  same  ?  And  why  should  any  ridicule 
the  ideas  contained  in  that  language,  while  they  profess  to 
respect  the  Bible.  How  d©  they  know  that  we  mean  any 
thing  more  horrible  by  such  images  of  wo  than  the  scrip- 
tures do  ? 

2.  Suppose  the  scriptures  teach  uuiversalism,  and  we 
should  not  so  understand  them ;  but  should  understand 
them  to  teach,  that  all  the  good,  and  the  good  only,  will  be 
saved  ;  what  shall  we  lose  by  the  mistake  ?  It  will  be  re- 
plied, that  we  shall  suffer  much  from  fear  of  not  being  sa- 
ved. Answer.  We  need  then  fear  only  just  enough  lo  in- 
duce us  to  be  good ;  and  so  much  fear  as  was  necessary  for 
that  purpose,  would  be  more  than  counterbalanced  by  the 
advantages  of  a  good  life.  It  will  be  said  too,  that  we  shall 
suffer  much  from  the  fear  that  some  of  our  children  and  re- 
latives will  not  be  saved.  Answer.  This  fear,  however, 
would  induce  us  to  use  every  effort  in  our  power  to  bring 
up  our  children  as  they  should  be;  and  to  persuade  oar 
friends  to  lead  good  lives.  And  all  these  ends,  to  be  ob- 
tained by  fear  that  all  will  not  be  saved,  are  far  greater  than 
the  trouble  that  such  a  fear  ever  need  be  to  us.  There  is 
nothing,  therefore,  to  be  lost^by  not  being  a  universalist, 
If  that  doctrine  be  true — For  it  appears,  that  we  should  be 
more- likely  to  be  good;  and  just  as  likely  to  be  happy,  ohl 
the  whole,  in  this  life,  to  believe  the  good  only  will  be  saved. 
And  notwithstanding  this  errour  of  opinion,  we  should  in 
that  case,  certainly  be  happy  in  the  next  life  as  well  as  oth- 
ers. 

3.  Suppose  the  scripture  doctrine  is,  that  the  pious  and 
good  only  will  be  saved,  and  we  understand  them  to  teach 
the  certain  salvation  of  all,  what  are  we  to  lose  then  by  the 
mistake  ?  It  will  be  said,  nothing,  because  one  may  be  pi- 
ous aad  good  notwithstanding  this  errour  of  opinion.  An- 
swer. We  mii^ht  be.  People,  believing  in  the  certain  sal- 
vation of  all  at  death,  might  be  pious  and  good  notwithstand- 


OF  U>'n£RSALISM  £XAMIM£D.  I'  1 

ing  ;  but  the  fear  of  future  wo,  or  the  hope  of  a  future  heav- 
ven,  could  not  be  any  inducement  to  make  them  so.  In 
this  world,  the  reward  of  virtue,  and  the  punishment  of  vice, 
to  say  the  least,  appear  so  uncertain  and  so  inadequate,  as 
to  have  very  little  effect  with  the  multitude.  Indeed,  the 
apostles  and  early  christians,  pure  and  holy  as  they  were, 
experienced  such  scenes  of  earthly  wo,  such  complicated 
and  exquisite  torments;  and,  in  every  age,  the  humble,  pi- 
ous, and  good,  are  permitted  so  often  to  be  trampled  down 
by  the  proud  and  haughty,  to  suffer  disappointment,  cross- 
es, and  accumulated  and  varied  miseries ;  while  the  op- 
pressor and  the  impious,  the  knave  and  the  villain  are  so 
often  prosperous,  and  apparently  happy,  their  consciences 
seared  and  lulled  to  sleep  by  the  siren  songs  of  unbelief ; 
and  exulting  in  the  triumphs  of  injustice  and  crime,  that  the 
ideas  of  rewards  and  punishments  in  this  world,  never  did, 
and  never  can,  contribute  much  to  the  cause  of  piety,  or  to 
the  protection,  security,  and  peace  of  human  society.— 
With  such  views,  individuals  of  extraordinary  good  dispo- 
sitions, and  who  should  fall  under  the  action  of  no  very 
strong  temptation,  might  be  moral.  But  when  the  exciting 
power  of  any  evil  inducement  became  stronger  than  the 
fears  of  present  punishment,  the  victim  would  fail.  Facts 
corroborate  this  reasoning.  A\Tio  does  not  know,  that 
those  who  fear  future  punishment,  and  anticipate  future, 
rewards,  are  more  solicitous  about  rehgion — morr  fenent, 
:M)re  watchful,  more  prayerful,  more  vigorous  to  cherish 
piety  in  their  own  hearts,  and  extend  its  interests  abroad, 
more  engaged  in  purposes  of  christian  benevolence,  and  in 
their  endeavours  to  be  assimilated  to  God,  than  such  as  de- 
ny all  future  remuneration  or  accountability  ?  Then  the 
true  answer  is,  if  the  pious  and  good  only  are  to  be  saved, 
by  believing  that  all  will  certainly  be  saved,  whether  we  are 
here  pious  and  good  or  not,  we  are  in  imminent  danger  of 
procrastinating  repentance,  yielding  to  temptation,  follow- 
ing our  passions,   pursuing  the  illusory  phantoms  of  the 


102  ARGUMEI*TS  A-XD  PRinCIPLES 

besettiog  world,  living  and  dying  in  sin,  be  disappointed  of 
heaveri,  and  be  damned  at  last  I  Who  has  ever  known  the 
careless,  hardened,  and  abandoned,  to  be  awakened,  aroused 
from  their  lethargy,  and  converted  to  God  and  religion,  by 
being  persuaded  all  would  certainly  be  happy  after  death 
whether  they  did  this  or  not?  I  never  knew  an  instance. 
On  the  other  hand,  we  are  all  familiar  with  multitudes  of 
such  awakenings  under  the  opposite  impression.* 

4.  Hence  it  appears,  on  the  whole,  that  we  have  nothing 
to  lose  by  the  errour,  even  if  universalism  be  true;  but  if  it 
be  not  true,  its  votaries  are  risking  much,  and  in  great  dan- 
ger— are  even  jeopardizing  their  eternal  all — their  very 
souls!  Suppose  Satan,  or  some  body  else,  should  send  a 
preacher  on  agriculture  into  our  country  in  the  spring — 
He  tells  our  farmers  that  God  is  kind  and  loves  all  the  peo- 
ple ;  and  will  certainly  give  them  all  abundant  harvests  in 
his  "  unbounded  love,"  whether  they  plough  and  sow  or 
not.  They  begin  to  prick  up  their  ears  and  say,  '*  This  is 
comfortable  doctrine  !"  One  asks — then  we  need  not  work 
of  course  ?  Oh,  yes — says  the  preacher — you  must  work 
notwithstanding — You  will  certainly  have  harvests  whether 
you  do  or  not;  but  then  you  should  work,  because  you  will 
enjoy  yourselves  better  to  work  than  to  be  idle !  Labour 
will  make  you  healthy  and  contented.  All  would  admit 
this ;  but  if  they  believed  the  harvest  would  certainly  come, 
how  many  would  begin  soon  to  relax  their  efforts,  tUrn 
idlers,  and  laugh  at  those  stupid  men,  who  would  not  be- 
lieve so  much  in  the  paternal  care  and  love  of  God,  and 


*1  wuU  mention  a  Mr. ,  of  Jamestown.     For  years  he  had 

been  a  poor  miserable  drunkard; -every  thing  was  as  dark  and 
hopeless  with  him  as  could  be — his  family  in  want  and  wretched- 
ness. Yet  he  was  a  warm  nniveisalist.  I  preached  nniversalisra 
to  him  time  and  again,  and  sometimes  tried  with  all  my  might  to 
persuade  against  that  habit;  but  while  heaven  was  just  as  sure  to 
him  with  it  as  without  it,  he  drank  on !  At  lenght  at  a  presbyterian 
protracted  meeting  {distracted  n\eeXm^s  universalist  editors  usually 
call  them,)  he  became  alarmed  about  hereafter.  The  arrowi*  of 
conviction  pierced  deep.  He  was  reclaimed — and  for  years  has 
been  a  good  member  of  society. 


OF  UN1VER8ALISM  EXAMINED.  103 

would  drudge  on  to  earn  their  harvests?  Men  would  soou 
show  that  they  love  play  and  idleness  better  than  work, 
notwithstanding  labour  is  for  their  present  good,  indepen- 
dent of  the  harvest!  And  poor  creatures,  when  autumn 
and  winter  come,  might  starve,  for  all  the  harvests  God 
would  give  them!  So  it  is  with  universalism;  it  tells  us, 
we  shall  all  be  saved,  pious  or  not,  but  that  it  is  better  for 
us  here  to  be  pious  and  good ;  and  all  admit  that  it  is.  Yet 
believers  in  it  generally  relax  their  piety,  follow  their  incli- 
nations wherever  they  lead,  choose  evil  rather  than  good  ; 
and  laugh  at  the  piety  and  christian  eftbrts  of  their  oppo- 
nents ;  and  call  them  fools,  not  to  trust  to  the  "  unbounded 
goodness  of  God,"  and  to  take  so  much  pains  to  prepare 
for  future  blessedness !  And  poor  creatures  may  find,  in 
the  end,  that  the  economy  of  grace  is  founded  upon  similar 
general  principles  with  the  economy  of  providence;  and 
"beg  in  the  eternal  harvest,  and  have  nothing." 

5.  From  these  considerations,  it  follows,  that  the  belief 
of  universalism,  on  the  whole,  can  do  no  good  at  any  rate, 
even  if  it  be  true.  Nay — that  it  is  pernicious  and  fatal  to  the 
best  interests  of  mankind,  in  this  life,  if  it  be  truth;  and  if  it 
be  errour,  that  it  endangers  the  everlasting  well-being  of 
the  soul !  What  the  use  then  in  preaching  that  doctrine : 
in  all  the  efforts  made  by  universalists  and  skepticks  to  pro- 
pagate it  ?  (for  skepticks  generally  are  as  much  engaged 
in  the  work  as  professed  universalists.)  Whatis  the  world 
to  gain  by  its  general  promulgation  and  belief?  In  its  visi- 
ble effects,  where  it  has  prevailed,  we  see  nothing  to  recom- 
mend it  to  posterity.  But  universalists  say  they  cannot 
avoid  believing  it  if  they  would.  Well — they  can  avoid  all 
endeavours  to  propagate  it.  If  one  cannot  avoid  a  fatal  dis- 
ease, he  can  avoid  endeavouring  to  spread  the  contagion 
among  his  healthy  neighbours.  But  we  think  a  candid 
view  of  the  Scriptures,  with  a  devout,  humble,  and  praying 
mind,  will  generally  cure  the  soul  infected  with  this  distem- 
per. 


104  ARaUME:<TS  and  rRIXCIPLES 

6.  If  the  Bible  teaches  universalism  p/ainZj/  and  positive- 
ly, it  is  a  wonder  that  many  of  the  ancient  christians  who 
wrote  on  the  Scriptuies  critically  before  the  third  century 
did  not  understand  it  so ;  and  that  such  men  as  Campbell, 
Scott,  and  Clarke,  and  a  multitude  of  others  of  every  age, 
eminent  for  piety  and  biblical  research,  did  not  discover 
such  ^  plain  interpretation.  And  in  such  case  it  is  a  won- 
der, that  the  common  readers  of  the  Bible  generally  do  not 
understand  such  a  plain  sense,  without  the  eiforts  of  such 
subtle  criticisms  and  explanations,  as  universalist  teachers 
find  necessary,  to  do  away  the  sense  which  people  are  so 
apt  to  give  it.  Not  one  in  a  thousand  of  common  readei-s, 
would  ever  suppose  the  Bible  taught  the  salvation  of  any 
more  than  the  good,  without  the  aid  of  the  studied  and 
laboured  explanations  of  universalist  teachers.  This  would 
be  very  singular,  if  the  Bible  taught  universalism  plqinly. — 
Indeed,  in  such  case,  the  common  people  would  depend  on 
a' few  subtle  and  ingenious  sophists  for  the  correct  under- 
standing of  what  was  plainly  taught  in  the  Bible.  So  that 
a  plain  revelation  would  after  all  depend  on  the  revelation 
of  the  few  to  reveal  it  to  the  many ! 

7.  If  universalism  be  not  p/ainZ^  taught  in  the  Bible,  but 
obscurely,  it  must  be  because  the  writers  did  not  conceive 
the  doctrine  of  any  great  importance  to  mankind.  And  if 
they  did  not  conceive  it  important  to  mankind,  then  ivc 
should  not.  Why  then,  make  this  the  subject  of  everlast- 
ing contention  and  strife?  Why,  hosts  of  preachers,  peri- 
odicals, books,  societies,  and  associations,  all  set  up  for  the 
sole  purpose  of  promoting  the  belief,  that  all  will  be  saved, 
whether  they  lead  pious  lives  or  not?  Moreover,  if  we  must 
confess  that  universalism  i«  but  obscurely  and  incidentally 
taught  in  the  Bible,  we  must  not  only  suppose  the  belief  of 
it  not  considered  important  to  mankind  by  the  writers,  but 
that  we  ma?/ be  mistaken  about  its  being  taught  therein  at 
all.  If  the  doctrine  be  not  (he  plain  sense  of  the  Scriptures, 
there  is  certainly  ground  for  lis  to  conclude  that  it  may  not 


or  UNIVERSALISM  EXAMINED.  105 

be  taught  in  the  true  sense  of  any  passage.  And  if  there 
be  a  possibihty  of  our  being  mistaken,  as  to  its  being  in  re- 
ahty  a  Scripture  doctrine,  we  should  not  attempt  to  propa- 
gate it,  as  it  professedly  may  be  a  fatal  errour.  But  who 
is  there  that  will  pretend  the  writers  of  the  Bible  to  teach 
universalism  as  plainly  and  fully  as  universalist  preachers 
now  do  ?  Universalist  teachers  now  undertake  to  show  that 
these  writers  did,  on  some  occasions,  in  some  particular  ex- 
pressions teach  that  all  men  will  be  saved.  This  is,  howev- 
ever,  only  their  interpretation  of  the  sacred  authors.  But 
may  not  these  teachers  be  mistaken?  Are  they  apt  to 
understand  writers  better  than  others  ?  They  generally  in- 
sist upon  it  as  a  fact,  that  Watts,  Wesley,  Clarke,  and  oth-, 
er  eminent  divines  were  universalists.  They  say  that  these 
venerated  men  clearly  advocated  universalism!  They  sup- 
port the  assertion  by  quoting  passages  from  their  writings, 
and  attempting  to  show  that  such  must  have  been  their 
meaning  !  Now  every  body  acquainted  with  their  writings, 
knows  that  they  did  not  profess  the  doctrine,  and  that  they 
were  distinctly  opposed  to  it.  Yet  such  is  the  imperfection 
of  language,  that  it  is  easy  to  find  expressions  in  their  wri- 
tings, which  might  be  so  misapplied  as  to  appear  to  teach 
universalism.  If  criticism  and  sophistry  can  turn  such  men 
as  Dr.  Watts,  John  Wesley,  and  Dr.  Clarke  into  open  thor- 
ough universalists,  through  the  vagueness  and  imperfection 
of  all  human  language,  can  we  wonder  that  Paul,  and  Christ, 
and  all  the  inspired  writers,  should  be  used  in  the  same 
manner  ? 

8.  If  the  Scriptures  teach  universalism  obscurely  and  inci- 
dentally, and  a  preacher  feels  confident  of  this,  he  should 
teach  it  in  the  same  manner.  No  one  can  be  justified  in 
t  caching  universalism  difierently  from  what  the  inspired 
writers  did.  Hence,  if  he  teaches  it  all,  it  should  be  as  tbey 
did,  that  is,  so  obscurely  and  uncertainly  that  none  can 
understand  them  to  teach  it  at  all,  without  the  aid  of  much 
criticism  and  much  explanation ;  and  so  that  most  of  their 


106  ARGUMENTS  AND  PRINCIPLES 

hearers  shall  doubt  their  teaching  it  at  all.  Certainly  the 
inspired  penmen  knew  how  to  teach  well  enough ;  and  if 
universaliat  preachers  and  writers  will  teach  universalism 
as  they  did,  (if  they  teach  it  all)  there  will  be  no  occasion 
to  controvert  their  writings.  They  would  then  teach  it 
indeed  like  Watts,  Wesley,  and  Clarke.  But  such  preach- 
ing would  never  be  supported  by  the  opposers  of  religion, 
as  uuiversalist  preaching  is  now  supported :  and  universal- 
ism  never  did  and  never  will  spread  by  such  preaching. — 
Whoever  supposes  universalism  to  be  taught  in  the  Bible 
aga  fundamental  important  doctrine,  with  the  same  clear- 
ness and  in  the  same  manner,  that  universalist  preachers 
now  teach  it,  is  out  of  his  senses,  and  cannot  be  reasoned 
with. 

9.  No  man  therefore  should  preach  universal  salvation 
plainer  than  the  Bible  does  ;  and  they  should  preach  dam- 
nation just  as  plainly  as  that  does.  Universalist  teachers 
profess  to  respect  the  Bible  as  much  as  others;  yet  they 
often  burlesque  others  for  preaching  about  "hell  torments," 
the  "  unquenchable  fire,"  "  hell  fire,"  "  everlasting  destruc- 
tion," the  "lake  of  fire,"  "fire  and  brimstone,"  &c.  Such 
like  expressions  were  used  in  the  Bible,  as  that  teaches 
universal  salvation.  Now  if  our  universalist  teachers  res- 
pect the  Bible,  and  teach  universalism  just  as  that  does, 
why  do  they  so  often  ridicule  us  for  teaching  as  the  Bible 
does?  Why  do  they  not  prove,  that  in  such  language,  we 
all  mean  universal  salvation,  as  well  as  the  Bible?  Why 
do  they  impute  to  us  an  opposite  meaning,  and  ridicule  us 
as  holding  to  the  being  literally  roasted  in  fire  and  brimstone, 
&c.  barely  because  we  use  such  language  as  they  say,  in 
the  Bible,  means  universal  salvation?  Would  it  not  be  bet- 
ter for  them  to  teach  universal  salvation  just  as  the  Bible 
did,  "everlasting  punishment"  and  all;  and  then  prove 
that  not  only  the  Bible,  and  Watts,  W^esley,  and  Clarke, 
but  all  other  eminent  divines  of  all  denominations,  and  of 
all  ages,  who  have  taught  rewards  and  punishments  in  just 
such  language  as  the  Bible  did,  were  universalists  ? 


OF  UNIVERSALISM  EXAMINED.  107 

10.  A  person  can  never  be  justified  in  teaching  universal- 
ism  who  has  any  doubts  of  its  being  a  Bible  doctrine;  be- 
cause if  some  beheving  it,  would  still  lead  good  lives,  many 
others  would  take  indulgence  from  it,  and  in  case  it  proved 
false,  would  thereby  endanger  their  everlasting  welfare. — 
It  is  not  necessary  therefore,  that  the  Bible  should  teach 
plainly  endless  punishment,  to  justify  us  in  not  being  uni- 
versalists.  Suppose  the  Bible  neither  taught  certain  uni- 
versal salvation,  nor  certain  endless  punishment  plainly, 
but  that  the  good  and  the  pious  shall  be  saved ;  and  its 
general  language  would  seem  to  imply,  that  such  only  could 
expect  salvation;  then  we  could  not  be  universalists;  nei- 
thier  could  we  be  under  any  obligation  to  support,  or  vin- 
dicate, or  justify  endless  punishment.  When  the  author 
first  renounced  universalism,  why  then,  did  the  editors  of 
universalist  papers,  insinuate  tha^t,  therefore,  he  was  bound 
to  prove  and  vindicate  the  doctrine  of  endless  punishment? 
Why  insinuate  that  he  must  be  dishonest  \h  renouncing 
universalism?  Again,  if  the  Bible  teaches  that  all  the 
good  will  be  saved,  and  the  good  only  ;  and  as  all  may  be 
good  if  they  choose ;  endless  punishment  could  not  be 
taught  in  the  Bible  positively  and  unconditionally,  except 
as  matter  of  pure  prophecy;  but  the  evidence  of  endless 
punishment  Avould  be  mainly  drawn  from  the  conditional 
expressions  of  the  Bible  in  regard  to  such  as  migJit  not  ac- 
cept of  Christ,  from  inferences  also  drawn  from  biblical 
representations  of  the  fate  of  certain  characters,  compared 
with  the  actual  existence  of  such  characters  in  the  world. — 
As  our  theory  admits  that  all  will  be  saved,  who  will  em- 
'brace  Christ,  we  are  not  bound  to  prove  positively  that  any 
will  be  endlessly  punished,  but  only,  that  none  hut  the  pen- 
itent and  good  will  be  saved.* 


*By  penitent  and  good,  we  mean  to  be  understood  in  the  com- 
mon acceptation  of  the  terms.  And  we  admit  of  course  the  salva- 
tion ofcuch  as  are  not  accountable,  infants,  &c.  without  reference 
to  character. 


108  ARGUMENTS  AJJD  PRINCIPLES 

It  devolves,  therefore,  upon  universalist  teachers  them- 
selves, to  prove  from  reason  and  scripture,  that  all  men  will 
be  saved  vj^hether  they  become  pious  and  good  in  this  life 
or  not.  Nay — it  further  devolves  on  them  to  prove  it  so 
clearly,  indubitably,  and  unequivocally,  that  we  can  safely 
risk  everlasting  consequences  on  the  proof.  And  all  we 
need  to  show,  to  justify  the  course  we  have  taken,  is,  thaf 
their  doctrine  is  not  susceptible  of  such  clear,  positive,  and 
certain  proof.  Do  not  understand  us,  that  it  would  be 
difficult  to  prove  endless  punishment  as  clearly  and  as  pos- 
itively as  the  nature  of  the  subject  admits  of;  but  only, 
that  we  are  under  no  necessity  to  do  any  thing  more,  than 
to  show,  that  it  is  not  certain,  that  any  more  than  the  good 
will  be  saved.  And  that  the  Bible,  in  its  plain  and  most  ob- 
vious sense,  does  not  teach  the  certain  salvation  of  all. 


SECTION  II. 

Some  of  the  fundamental  reasons  of  universalists  examined. 

1.  Universalists  generelly  begin  their  system  in  what  they 
call  sound  reason ;  and  having  established  it  in  their  minds, 
as  a  system  of  philosophy,  so  clearly  and  indisputably,  as 
they  suppose,  that  it  must  be  true  ;  they  then  go  to  the  Bi- 
ble and  search  out  all  those  passages,  which  alone  seem  to 
favour  it,  and  commit  them  to  memory  so  well,  as  to  be  able 
to  hand  them  oat  fluently  on  any  occasion.  They  next 
study  out,  either  themselves,  or  by  aid  of  their  teachers,  some 
subtle  way  to  explain  hard  passages,  (as  they  call  them,)  so* 
as  not  to  let  them  overthrow  their  favorite  theory.  Most 
of  common  professors  of  it,  however,  never  consider  them- 
selves able  to  give  the  curious  explanation,  (or  evasion,) 
but  are  always  sure  their  preachers  can  do  it.  Indeed, 
the  explanation,  or  rather,  evasion  of  these  hard  passages, 
is  the  principal  business  of  universalist  teachers. 


OF  UNIVERSALISM  EXAMINED.  109 

2.  We  now  state  the  grand  argument,  upon  which  the 
ttonclusion,  that  all  will  be  certainly  saved,  is  entirely 
founded. 

*'  God  is  infinitely  good,  an<i  of  course,  must  have  design- 
ed in  the  beginning,  and  must  still  design  the  greatest  pos- 
sible good  of  his  whole  creation. 

"  The  greatest  possible  good  of  his  whole  creation  re- 
quires the  universal  salvation  of  all.  ^ 

"  But  G*ad  is  infinite  in  power,  and  of  course  can  carry 
his  design  to  promote  the  greatest  possible  good-— the  uni- 
versal salvation  of  all,  into  full  execution.  As,  therefore, 
God  designs,  in  his  infinite  goodness,  to  save  all  men,  and 
can,  in  his  infinite  power,  save  all,  all  men  will  and  must 
be  saved." 

This  argument  we  say  is  the  grand  foundation  of  the 
whole  system.  To  this  the  Bible  is  forced  to  yield,  whe- 
ther or  no  !  We  admit  the  argument  plausible  ;  but  we 
deny  that  it  is  conclusive.  It  is  all  founded  on  an  a  priori 
argument — reasoning  from  what  God  is,  to  what  he  must 
do.  This  is  the  wrong  way  to  reason.  Instead  of  this, 
we  should  reason  a  posteriori^  from  what  God  does  do,  to 
what  he  is,  or  may  do. 

3.  The  argument  is  confuted  by  well  known  facts,  and  of 
course  is  good  for  nothing.  If  the  greatest  possible  good 
of  the  whole  creation  requires  the  final  salvation  of  all  men, 
it  also  requires  their  present  salvation.  The  present  hap- 
piness of  all  men,  is  just  as  necessary  to  the  greatest  pos- 
sible present  good  of  all,  as  the  future  happiness  of  all 
men  is  to  the  greatest  possible  future  good  of  all.  If  God 
must  have  designed,  that  all  men  should  be  happy  in  the 
future  world,  because  he  was  infinitely  good  ;  by  the  same 
reasoning,  he  must  have  designed  that  all  men  should  be 
happy  in  the  present  world.  Yet  we  see,  all  here  are  not 
happy.  What  certainty  have  we  then,  in  reason,  that  God's 
goodness  and  power  will  accomplish,  and  must  acpomplish 
hereafter  what  it  fails  to  do  now  ? 

An  aagel  before  the  creation,  learns  that  the  world  is  fo 

be  made  airl  peapled.     He  begins  to  calculate  whether  sin 

10 


110  ARGUMKNTS  A!«D  PR15C1PLKS 

aud  misery  would  ever  exist  in  the  new  world.  He  say* — 
God  is  infinitely  good,  and  therefore  must  design  to  prevent 
all  sin  and  misery ;  and  ho  is  infinitely  powerful,  and  there- 
fore, can  prevent  them ;  and  therefore,  they  must  and  will  be 
prevented  !  This  argument  would  have  proved,  equally 
strong,  that  the  divine  attributes  must  have  prevented  the 
sin  and  misery  now  in  the  world,  and  that  have  been  in  be- 
ing for  some  thousands  of  years,  as  it  would  prove  now  that 
those  attributes  mws^  prevent  the  existence  of  sin  and  misery 
»t  any  future  time.  But  notwithstanding  an  angel  before 
the  creation,  might  have  proved,  that  no  sin  and  misery  oan 
ever  exist  under  the  government  of  God,  by  the  very  same 
argument  that  universalists  prove  it  cannot  exist  at  a  future 
period,  yet  he  "Would  have  found,  in  the  event,  all  his  spec- 
ulations, on  what  infinite  goodness  and  power  must  do, 
confounded  in  the  absolute  existence  of  sin  and  misery. — 
What  certainty  have  we  that  this  same  argument  now  used 
to  disprove  the  future  existence  of  sin  and  misery,  is  any 
better  than  it  would  have  been,  when  used  to  disprove  their 
present  existence  ?  If  infinite  goodness  and  power  must 
necessarily  prevent  all  misery  at  any  future  period,  why 
must  not  the  same  infinite  goodness  and  power  prevent  all 
present  misery  ?  If  infinite  goodness  and  power  must  not 
necessarily  have  prevented  the  present  miseties  of  the 
world,  there  is  no  evidence  that  they  must  prevent  the  fu- 
ture. 

4.  This  difficulty  completely  upsets  the  very  foundation 
of  imiversalisra.  It  crumbles  their  favourite  argument  into 
nothing.  They  cannot  get  over  it.  Neither  can  they 
twist  round  it,  nor  crawl  under  it.  If  it  be  consistent  with 
infinite  goodness  and  power  to  admit  the  existence  of  sin 
aud  misery  at  one  time,  we  cannot  say,  that  it  may  not  be 
consistent  with  the  same  goodness  and  power  to  admit  their 
existence  at  any  other  time,  and  at  ^11  other  times.  They 
will  attempt  to  get  round  this  trouble,  by  pleading,  thai 
ttraporary  misery  was  necessary  to  promote  the  entire 


or  UNIVER8AL1SM  EXAMINED.  Ill 

happiness  of  tbe  whole  creation  afterwards.  But  if  infinite 
goodness  m«5f  have  willed  the  eutire  happiness  of  the 
whole  creation  at  a  future  period,  it  must  also  have  willed 
the  entire  happiness  of  the  whole  creation  from  the  be- 
ginning. And  if  infinite  power  must  be  able  to  accomplish 
the  entire  happiness  of  all  at  a  future  period,  it  miist  have 
been  able  to  accomplish  it  from  the  beginning.  It  will  be 
said  God  could  not  make  us  susceptible  of  as  much  hap- 
piness, or  capable  of  enjoying  as  much,  without  we  first 
suffer  pain,  as  with  it.  Why  not  ?  If  his  omnipotence  i« 
such,  that  he  can  prevent  all  future  misery,  why  can  he 
not  by  the  same  omnipotence,  make  us  capable  of  enjoy- 
ing just  as  much  happiness  without  our  first  passing 
through  so  much  misery,  as  with  it  ?  A  physician  corae« 
and  makes  me  sick,  keeps  me  in  pain  and  distress  several 
months ;  he  then  restores  me  to  health  ;  and  tells  me  he 
could  have  kept  me  in  health  all  the  time;  and  that  he 
could  have  made  me  to  appreciate  health  just  as  well  with- 
out the  sickness  !  Why  then  the  sickness  ?  If  God 
could  not  have  prevented  the  miseries  of  this  state,  what 
certaintj/  have  we  that  he  can  prevent  all  misery  hereafter  ? 
Or  if  he  could,  bu^^v^ould  not,  what  certainty  have  we,  iu 
his  attributes  that  he  will  do  it  at  another  time. 

5.  The  greatest  possible  happiness  of  the  whole  crea- 
tion, which,  universalists  contend  the  infinite  goodness  and 
power  of  God  must  produce,  would  be  the  perfect  happi- 
ness of  every  thing  that  lives,  from  the  first  moment  of  its 
being.  But  we  see  that  such  perfect  happiness  of  every 
living  thing  has  not  been  produced,  and  consequently  the 
argument  on  what  God  must  do,  falls  to  the  ground,  and 
with  it,  the  whole  fabrick  of  aniversalism,  as  founded  on 
our  imperfect  and  vague  notions  of  divine  goodness  and 
power.  ' 

The  ideas  of  universalists  about  infinite  goodness  arKJ 
power,  that  necessarily  must  prevent  all  future  misery, 
ivould  also  just  as  surely,  not  only  hav«  prsvented  allth« 


112       '  ARGUMENTS  AND  PKIKC1PLE8 

human  misery  of  this  world,  but  also  all  the  misery  of  th« 
whole  animated  creation.  They  would  reason  thus;  "^God 
being  infinitely  good,  must  have  willed  to  prevent  all  the 
miseries  of  animated  creation,  and  being  omnipotent,  he 
must  have  been  able  to  prevent  it  all,  and  to  accomplish  the 
entire  happiness  of  every  thing  that  lives  from  the  first  mo* 
ment  of  its  existence.  Therefore,  all  moral  and  physical 
evil  must  have  been  prevented,  and  therefore,  it  all  has 
been  prevented  !"  But  all  this  only  proves  things  to  be 
which  are  not !  Hence,  it  is  proved,  that  there  is  no  such 
thing  as  misery  in  the  universe,  and  never  has  been,  by  the 
same  argument  precisely,  that  it  is  proved  there  will  be 
none  to  all  eternity  !  But  alas — for  the  proof — sin  and 
misery  have,  and  do  exist  !  Alas — for  universalism,  as 
founded  on  this  proof,  sin  and  misery,  for  all  that,  may  for 
ever  exist.  This  proves,  that  universalists  are  not  quite 
acute  enough  to  comprehend  correctly,  Avhat  the  incom- 
prehensible attributes  of  God  must  do. 

6.  An  effort  will  be  made  to  escape  this  difficulty,  by 
showing,  that  the  miseries  of  all  will  and  must  be  overruled 
for  the  good  of  all.  But  this  can  never  succeed.  If  they 
say  God  could  not  have  brought  about  as  great  a  degree 
of  finaf  happiness  for  all,  without  suffering  any  misery  at 
first,  as  with  it,  they  as  much  deny  the  divine  omnipotence, 
as  we  do  to  say,  he  cannot  accomplish  as  much  general 
good  in  the  system,  without  suffering  misery  always  to  ex- 
ist, as  to  suffer  it. 

There  is  no  way  for  them  to  escape  the  dilemma,  only 
to  prove,  that  there  is  not  and  never  has  been  any  sin  and 
misery  in  existence.  But  they  cannot  dispute  there  is 
something  about  as  disagreeable  to  us  as  real  sin  and  mise- 
ry ;  and  in  spite  of  their  grand  argument,  this  disagreeable 
something  rftay  always  exist.  But  the  doctrine,  that  eve- 
ry sin,  is,  in  fact,  a  virtue,  arm  thai  all  miseries,  are  pleas- 
ures, because  an  infinitely  ^ooii  snd  almi?;hty  being  suf- 
fers tkem  to  be,  not    only   cr^ '     aicts  the  common  Bense, 


OF  UNIVERSALISM  EXAMINE©.  IIS 

nod  sommon  feeliags  of  mankind,  and  the  whole  drift  of 
$cripture  ;  but  it  upsets  all  ideas  of  virtue  and  vice,  as  well 
as  pleasure  and  pain.  Tell  a  man,  he  is  happy  and  must  be 
so.  If  he  gets  drunk,  spends  his  property,  it  will  work  for 
bis  good.  If  he  loses  all  moral  sense,  and  becomes  vicious, 
abandoned,  and  beastly,  it  will  eventuate  in  his  good.  If 
he  murders  his  children  and  wife  in  a  drunken  frolick,  it 
will  be  for  his  good  and  theirs.  If  he  is  hanged  for  it,  at 
last,  it  will  be  for  his  good  I  And  finally,  that  any  and  every 
sin  will  be  overruled,  as  well  as  every  pain,  to  a  greater 
good,  is  a  doctrine  which  strikes  a  deadly  blow  to  all  mo- 
tives of  virtue,  and  to  all  restraints.  But  this  is  the  very 
vortex,  into  which  many  universalists  reason  themselves, 
in  their  blind  infatuation,  presumptuously  attempting  to 
deduce  a  theory  from  the  mighty  deep  of  the  divine  at- 
tributes ! 

7.  Universalists  deduce  an  argument  from  the  divine  at- 
tributes very  similar  to  the  one  we  have  exploded,  thus  : 

•'  No  good  earthly  father  would  suffer  his  child  to  sin 
and  be  miserable  for  ever,  if  he  had  power  to  prevent  it. — 
God  is  good,  and  has  power  to  prevent  any  one  from  being 
sinful  and  miserable  for  ever,  and  therefore  he  will  prevent 
it." 

The  whole  force  of  this  argument  rests  on  the  presurap- 
lion,  that  God  will  not  suffer  any  thing  that  a  good  eartkly 
father  would  not,  if  he  could  prevent  it.  And  if  we  show 
that  God  does  suffer  many  things  with  men,  which  a  good 
earthly  father  would  not  suffer,  if  he  could  prevent  it,  we 
upset  this  argument  to  all  intents  and  purposes. 

A  good  earthly  father  would  not  suffer  his  son  to  lie, 

cheat,  get  drunk,  gamble,  go  to  jail,  and  finally  to  state's 

prison,  if  he  could  prevent  it  ;  yet  God  does  suffer  men  to 

do  80.     A  good  earthly  father  woukl  not  sufl'er  his  son  to 

commit  murder,  and  bo  hanged  for  it,  if  he  could  prevent 

it ;  yet  God  does  suffer  men  to  do  so.     A  good  earthly 

father  would  not  suffer  his  children  to  be  sick  and  distres- 

for  years — to  be  agonized  and  tortured — incarcerated 

10* 


11-i  AEOUME^TS  A.tD  PRl.^CIPLKB 

for  years  wkhin  cold  and  dismal  dungeons — to  sigh  ajid 
groan  in  unavailing  and  hopeless  misery,  if  he  could  pre- 
vent it ;  yet  God  suffers  many  to  do  this.  Good  earthly 
fathers  would  not  suffer  their  little  children  to  be  left  alono 
in  the  night,  and  get  the  house /)n  fire  and  bum  themselvei 
to  death,  if  they  apprehended  the  danger  and  could  pre- 
vent it  ;  yet  God  suffers  many  to  do  so.  If  a  good  earthly 
father  saw  his  child  about  to  plunge  an  awful  precipice, 
and  could  stop  him,  he  would  do  it ;  yet  God  sometimes 
does  not.  If  a  good  earthly  father  saw  his  child  so  foolish 
as  to  go  and  lie  down  in  the  fire,  and  could  prevent  him, 
he  would  do  it ;  but  we  might  lie  down  in  a  furnace  and 
burn  to  death  if  we  choose,  before  God  would  take  us  out. 

We  ask  universalists  to  go  and  lie  down  in  the  snow,  or 
plunge  into  the  water,  or  into  the  fire,  and  stay  there,  to  see 
if  God  will  take  them  out.  No  doubt,  they  would  perish 
there  for  all  God  would  do  for  them,  though  their  good 
earthly  fathers  might  pity  their  madness,  if  they  saw  them, 
and  take  them  out.  Hence  it  follows  that  God  suffers  men 
to  do  many  things,  that  good  earthly  fathers  would  not  suf- 
fer their  children  to  do,  if  they  could  prevent  it.  Why 
then  may  not  God  suffer  men  to  be  sinful  and  miserable 
for  ever,  although  good  earthly  parents  might  not,  if  they 
could  i)revent  it?  In  all  this,  instead  of  reasoning  from 
our  imperfect  conceptions  of  what  God  is,  to  what  he  must 
do,  contrary  to  fact,  we  reason  from  what  he  does  do,  to 
what  he  may  do,  according  to  fact. 

8.  We  shall  be  asked  then,  how  we  can  admit  and  vindi- 
cate the  divine  goodness  ?  But  we  are  no  more  bound  to 
vindicate  (fivine  goodness,  with  our  theory,  than  universa- 
lists are  with  theirs.  God  may  be  infinitely  good,  and  suf- 
fer misery  to  exist  next  year,  as  well  as  to  be  infinitely  ^ood 
and  suffer  it  to  exist  this  year.  He  may  be  good,  and  suf- 
fer it  to  exist  at  any  and  all  future  time,  as  well  as  to  be 
good,  and  suffer  it  to  exist  through  ail  the  ages  of  this 
life.     Suppose  we  say,  we  cannot  fully  vindicate  the  4muo 


or  uivirz&SALiSM  zxamiuzd,  115 

goodncsg  upon  our  theorv — uniTcrsalists  can  do  it  no  bet- 
ter upon  theirs.  And  if  we  were  all  to  acknowledge,  that 
we  are  too  weak  to  fathom  the  attributes  of  ihe  great  in- 
comprehensible God,  so  a?  to  draw  ctrtain  conclusions 
therefrom,  on  the  future  condition  of  man,  we  should 
doubtless  act  in  a  manner  more  becoming  our  real  capaci- 
ties. 

9.  But  what  do  we  mean  by  omnipottnct  7  Not  a  powtr 
to  do  any  thing  conceivable;  but  a  power  to  do  aoj  thing 
that  can  be  done — that  is,  any  thing  that  b  possible.  Now 
it  is  impossible  for  us  to  know,  whether  th«  creation  of  a 
world  of  intelligences  not  subject  to  sin  and  misery,  was 
possible  or  not.  We  cannot  tell,  whether  a  universe,  free 
from  all  liability  to  sin  and  misery,  is,  or  ever  will  be  pos- 
sible. Of  course,  we  do  not  know,  as  any  better  universe, 
than  one  liable  to  moral  and  physical  evil,  was  or  ever  will 
be  possible  ;  and  consequently,  we  do  not  know,  th&t  it  is 
possible  for  God  to  accomplish  the  entire  and  perfect  hap- 
piness of  all  creation,  though  he  be  omnipotent  in  the  ftil- 
lest  possible  sense.  To  be  sure  we  may  not  see  wherein 
it  was  impossible  for  the  sensitive  world  to  have  been  so 
constituted  as  to  shut  out  all  liability  to  sin  and  misery  ; 
and  to  secure  to  all  perfect  and  endless  bliss,  from  the  first 
moment  of  their  being  ;  but  we  cannot  say  that  it  was  not 
impossible.  Neither  can  we  say  tliat  any  plan  could  have 
been  devised,  consistently  with  the  spontaneous  power  of 
man  and  necessary  moral  freedom,  which  would  have  se- 
cured the  certain  eventual  salvation  of  all  men.  It  is,  there- 
foie,  going  too  far  for  us  to  say,  that  God  is  not  good,  be- 
cause sin  and  misery  are  now  suffered  to  exist,  or  because 
ihey  be  suffered  to  exist  always. 

10.  Yet  we  have  reason  to  conclude  God  is  good  from 
the  benevolent  design  indicated  in  all  his  works.  Our 
teeth  are  designed  to  be  serviceable  to  us,  yet  they  somc- 

j|imes  ache.  Our  eyes  to  give  us  the  pleasures  and  bene- 
fits of  seeing,  yet  they  arc  sometimes  diseased  and  painful. 


136  ARGUMENTS  A?»D  PRKNCIPLES 

And  all  our  seuses  seem  to  have  been  designed  tor  owr  use 
and  happiness,  yet  all  are  liable  to  become  sources  of  misery. 
And  all  the  works  of  God  indicate  a  design  to  promote  our 
happiness;  but  every  where  is  to  be  found,  a  liability  to 
affliction  !  This  liability  may  be  necessary  in  the  very  osr- 
ture  of  things,  and  may  result  in  the  moral  elevation  and 
happiness  of  some,  and  the  depression  and  misery  of  others. 
The  question  cannot  be  decided  by  reason  and  philosophy 
whether  the  unfathomable  and  incomprehensible  attributes 
of  God  must  make  all  finally  happy  or  not.  But  as  human 
philosophy  can  only  judge  of  the  fature,  by  the  past,  its 
decision  would  be  in  favour  of  the  hypothesis,  that,  as  sin 
and  misery  have  existed  under  different  modifications,  from 
the  beginning,  they  will  continue  to  exist,  in  some  form, 
for  ever. 

11.  It  will  be  contended,  that,  •' God  must  have  foreor- 
dained all  things,  and  predestinated  every  sinful  act,  from  all 
eternity ;  and  therefore,  it  would  bo  unjust  and  cruel  to 
subject  any  to  the  loss  of  heaven  for  doing  what  God  be- 
fore determined  they  should  do." 

But  universalistB  hold,  that  men  are  punished  lor  their 
sins  in  this  life.  Is  it  not  unjust  and  cruel  to  ponish  them 
in  this  life  for  doing  what  God  before  determined  they 
should  do,  as  much  as  in  the  life  to  come  ?  If  it  be  just 
to  punish  them  here  for  doing  what  they  could  not  avoid, 
why  not  just  to  subject  them  to  the  loss  of  heaven,  for  do- 
ing it,  hereafter  ?  It  will  be  replied,  that,  "  punishment 
^ere  might  be  just,  because  it  would  be  inflicted  for  the 
good  of  the  punished  ;  but  the  final  loss  of  heaven  could 
not  be  for  the  creature's  good,  and  therefore,  would  be  un- 
just." This  argument  goes  upon  the  ground,  that  God 
foreordained  the  sin  for  the  sinner's  good,  and  then  pun- 
ishes him  also  for  his  good.  A  man  murders  his  neigh- 
bour! Well — God  foreordained  it  for  his  good  I  Who 
should  regret  it  then  ?  He  is  hajdged !  Well — God  fore- 
ordained that  for  his  good  I     The  good  Lord  deliver  ns 


OF  UWIVERSALISM  EXAMINED.  117 

from  such  good  as  all  this.  Who  may  not  siji,  if  ev€ry  sin 
is  foreordained  for  our  good,  and  all  the  punishmenra  too? 
What  a  good  world  predestinariaa  universalistB  would  make 
this  to  be  !  We  might  let  loose  every  desire,  and  passion 
— plunge  into  corruption  and  crime — defy  both  God  and 
man  ;  and  nil  foreordained  for  our  good  !  And  if  we  got 
into  prisons,  or  swung  upon  the  gallows,  it  would  be  all 
for  our  good  !  If  all  this  is  for  our  good,  we  see  rot  why  we 
may  not  go  to  hell  for  our  good  !  If  any  think  all  these 
things  really  for  their  good,  we  see  not  why  they  may  not 
call  it  a  good  thing — a  most  excellent  thing  to  be  damned  ! 
If  God  has  foreordained  every  thing  for  our  good,  why  did 
he  not  foreordain  perfect  holiness  and  happiness  for  our 
good,  instead  of  sin  and  misery  ?  Especially,  since,  ac- 
cording to  universalist'a  idea  of  his  omnipotence,  he  covld 
have  made  holiness  and  happiness  quite  as  conducive  to 
our  good  as  sin  and  misery  ? 

12.  But  that  philosophy,  which  teaches,  that  God  fore- 
ordained and  determined  all  things  from  eternity,  is,  we 
think,  another  vain  and  idle  attempt,  to  fathom  the  unfath- 
omable depth  of  the  Almighty  !  Did  God  determine  ? 
Did  he  predestinate  ?  When  did  he  do  this?  The  an- 
swer is,  he  did  it  from  all  eternityfl  But  when  was  that  ? 
If  he  ever  did  it,  he  must  have  done  it  at  some  time  or 
other;  and  if  he  did  not  do  it  at  any  lime,  then  he  never 
did  it  at  all.  If  he  did  it  at  any  time,  then  he  did  not  do  it 
from  all  eternity  ;  but  there  must  have  been  a  time  when 
he  had  not  done  it  at  all.  If  there  was  a  time  when  he  had 
not  done  it,  we  have  no  proof  that  it  ever  was  done.  It 
will  be  said,  "  God  must  have  foreordained  all  things,  be- 
cause he  foreknew  all  things  ;  being  obliged  to  determine, 
that  sliould  be,  which  he  knew  icoiild  be."  We  are  aito- 
geiher  too  bold,  when  we  tell  much  about  what  God  must 
do,  and  is  obliged  to  do.  No  doubt  God  is  omuicient ;  and- 
oftniscience  i  sl/*^^^   knowledge  of  every  thing, 

that  can  be  k;  '   '-^-yq  events  tan  be  kiijj- 


118  ARGUMENTS  AND  PRinCIPLKS 

and  what  cannot  be,  we  know  not.  Neither  do  we  knovr, 
in  what  manner  the  Deity  foresees  and  Itnows  things.  Wo 
may  know  that  an  event  happened  yesterday  ;  yet  our 
knowledge  of  it,  had  no  influence  in  its  production.  So. 
for  ought  we  know,  God  may  have  a  way,  in  his  inscrutable 
modes  of  perception,  to  foresee  eycnts,  over  which  he  exerts 
no  absolute  control,  and  which  are  in  themselves  depend- 
ent on  the  free  and  spontaneous  powers  delegated  to  men. 
1>TU  we  have  gone  into  this,  not  to  fathom  the  divine  mind, 
but  to  show  that  it  is  unfathomable  ;  and  all  the  subtle  con- 
clusions of  philosophy,  in  favour  of  universalism,  drawn 
from  what  the  Deity  must  do,  are  built  upon  partial  and  im- 
perfect views  of  him,  and  are  entirely  unsafe  and  untenable. 

13.  It  is  contended  that  "  endless  punishmerit  is  ,dii- 
proportioned  to  the  magnitude  of  our  sin,  and  would, 
therefore,  be  unjust." 

fFe  cannot  decide  the  question,  how  much  sin  deserves. 
But  admitting  our  sins  of  this  life,  do  not  deserve  a  posi- 
tive endless  punishment,  we  might  be  for  ever  sinful,  and 
be  for  ever  punished.  Man  is  a  sinner,  and  his  ransom  i« 
paid,  his  prison  door  is  opened  in  the  offer  of  Christ  and 
heaven  ;  but  if  he  refuses  to  come  out,  to  accept  the  offer, 
while  it  is  held  out  to  him,  the  door  may  be  justly  shut,  or 
the  offer  cease  to  be  made.  He  may,  by  one  tremendou* 
decision  of  mind,  refuse  to  accept  the  heavenly  offer  ;  and 
consequently  lose  it,  and  lose  it  for  ever.  A  father  offers 
his  son  a  farm  on  the  easy  conditions  that  he  will  be  obedi- 
ent and  good,  which  will  be  for  his  good  independent  of 
this  gift.  The  son  says,  if  he  cannot  have  it,  without  any 
conditions,  he  will  not  take  it  at  all!  The  father  would 
be  under  no  obligation  to  continue  the  offer  after  a  reason- 
able time.  He  might  withdraw  the  offer,  and  the  sou 
might  lose  it  for  ever  I  If  we  refuse  to  accept  the  royal  gift 
of  heaven,  on  the  reasonable  terms  of  submission  and  obe- 
dience, we  may  lose  it  for  over.  And  what  sufferings  wis 
"g^^^f^xnerience,  by  being  "banished    from  the"    moral 


or  UNIVERSALIS31  EXAMINED.  HO 

'  piesenco  of  God,  and  from  the  glory  of  his  power,"    the 
uiguage  of  scripture,  rationally  interpreted,  can  alone  in- 
I'orm  us. 

14.  x\gain  our  opponents  urge  that,  '*  we  cannot  be  hap- 
,  y  in  heaven,  5f  our  friendg,  or  any  of  tnaniund  are  in 
wretchedness  and  misery." 

This  argument  is  often  urged.  The  preacher  of  univcr- 
salism  often  inquires,  whether  mothers  can  bo  happy,  when 
they  see  their  children  writhing  in  the  agonies  of  literal 
fire  ?  And  they  thus  often  make  the  idea  of  future  retri- 
bution, appear  absurd  and  horrible.  The  author  of  this 
work  has  often  moved  the  sympathies  of  his  hearers  pow- 
erfully, in  this  way.  But  the  argument  is  founded  on  the 
supposition,  that  the  doctrine  teaches,  that  future  torments 
are  to  be  equal  to  those  of  being  literally  burned  in  fire,  and 
that  people  in  heaven  will  be  so  constituted,  as  to  feel  the 
same  sympathy  for  the  damned,  that  we  should  now  feel 
for  persons  in  distress.  Though  some  have  supposed  fu- 
ture punishment  to  be  literal  burning  in  fire,  yet  we  do  not 
profess  to  believe  any  such  thing.  We  only  contend,  that 
there  is  a  punishment,  represented  in  tke  scriptures,  by 
the  figurative  ideas  of  a  "lake  of  fire,"  "fire  and  brim- 
stone," •'  the  second  death,"  "  hell  fire,"  "  destruction 
from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  the  glory  of  his  power," 
&c.  That  this  imagery  represents  the  punishment  severe, 
we  think  obvious  ;  but  how  severe,  we  do  not  pretend  to 
know.  2d.  We  do  not  know  -and  cannot  know  whether 
those  in  heaven  will  have  any  knowledge  of,  or  concern 
about,  the  impenitent  and  miserable.  We  have  seen  per- 
•^ons,  in  this  life,  very  happy,  with  their  present  constitu- 
tion, notwithstanding  they  knew  thousands  of  their  fellow 
beings  were  miserable.  So  that  it  appears  quite  possible 
that  God  may  so  arrange  the  concerns  of  the  future,  that 
the  miseries  of  the  wicked,  however  great  they  may  be, 
!ihall  not  interfere  with  the  reward  of  the  faithful, 

15.  It  appears  that  God  has  net  appointed  sin  and  mis- 


120  ARGUMKrfTS  AND  PRKXCIPLES 

cry  that  he  might  have  the  chance  to  overrule  it  for  good. 
Because,  if  he  could  have  produced  the  game  good  with- 
out it,  it  ■*y7)uld  have  been  far  better  to  have  had  no  such 
things  to  overrule.  But  if  he  cnuld  not  have  produced  the 
same  good  without  il^  we  have  no  evide(vce  that  he  ever 
can.  If  he  cmdd  ?2oihave  prevented  evil,  we  can  not  know 
that  h«  ever  can  ;  but  if  he  could  but  loould  not  do  it,  it  is 
impossible  for  us  to  say,  vi^ithout  the  Bible,  whether  h©  ever 
will.  These  reasons  have  been  urged  to  show,  that  we 
cannot  possibly  understand  enough  of  the  nature  of  God, 
to  determine  from  that,  or  from  any  reasoning  or  philoso- 
phy, what  must  be  the  future  condition  of  men  ;  and  that 
therefore,  the  Bible  alone,  as  the  revelation  of  God,  must 
decide  the  question.  And  as  reason  and  philosophy  teach 
nothing  on  the  subject,  we  ate  not  to  come- to  the  Bible, 
with  our  minds  already  made  up  from  philosophy ;  and 
then  study  and  invent  some  way  to  explain  the  Bible,  so  as 
to  make  it  teach  universahsm  at  all  events.  To  1  now  what 
the  Bible  teaches,  we  are  not  authorized  to  determiue,  first, 
what  it  7nust  teach,  and  then  bend  it  to  our  theory.  In- 
deed, if  we  could  find  out  by  reason  what  a  revelation  from 
God  must  teach,  it  would  supersede  all  necessity  for  a  revela- 
tion. Our  inquiry  then  must  be,  not  what  God  must  do, 
(for  we  do  not  know)  but  what  he  does  do  ;  and  not  what 
the  Bible  must  teach,  (for  we  cannot  know)  but  what  it  ac- 
tually does  teach.  And  we  should  not  suppose  its  true 
meaning  to  be  something,  so  foreign  to  the  natural  impli- 
cation of  the  words,  that  it  requires  the  most  subtle  inven- 
tion to  find  it,  and  the  most  elaborate  ingenuity  to  give  it 
aoy  plausibility. 

Universalist  teachers  have  found  vast  numbers  of  passa- 
ges, which  seemed,  to  the  whole  world,  to  leach,  that  only 
such  as  "  do  his  commandments,  that  they  may  have 
right  unto  the  tree  of  life,  and  enter  in  through  the  gates 
into  the  city,"  should  be  saved.  Thoir  main  business  has 
been  to  study  out  and  invent  some  other  sense  to  such  pas- 


OT   CS1VER8ALISM   EXAMINED.  ISI 

sages.  This  work  haa  been  an  immense  labour  for  tbena  ; 
but  it  might  be  expected,  that  they  would  succeed  in  ma- 
king oat  5o»i€  other  meaaing  besides  the  true  one.  An(f 
such  ingenuity  and  labour  are  employed,  in  this  work,  to 
make  writers  mean  what  they  never  thought  of,  that  we 
might  expect  many  to  be  deceived  by  the  speciousness  of 
their  explanations,  especially  when  they  are  first  convinced 
that  reason  and  philosophy  demonstrate  the  doctrine  with- 
out any  revelation  at  all.  Yet  many  of  these  explanations, 
are  so  far  fetched,  and  unnatural,  that  although  they  ar© 
published  all  over  the  country,  a  great  majority  of  univer- 
aaiists  cannot  comprehend  them,  so  as  to  explain  away  the 
seeming  force  of  the  passages  when  urged  upon  their  con- 
sideration by  their  opponents.  Letters  were  poured  in  of- 
ten upon  the  editor  of  the  "Genius  of  Liberty,"  from  sub- 
scribers, inquiring  how  such  and  such  passages  could  be 
explained,  so  as  not  to  oppose  universalism.  So  all  the 
country  know  how  often  professed  universalists  were  asked 
how  they  got  along  with  many  passages;  and  they  would 
answer,  that  they  could  not  explain  them,  but  Mr.  Todd 
could  do  it! 

But  having  shown  that  philosophy  is  silent  on  the  subject, 
or  is  against  their  theory  as  far  as  it  goes,  we  shall  see  the 
propriety  of  understanding  the  Scriptures  on"  this  subject, 
in  their  plainest  an-]  most  natural  sense  ;  in  oth^r  woi'ds, 
just  as  we  would  understand  any  other  writers,  who  should 
write  in  the  same  manner. 

16.  We  would  ask  them,  if  God  ordained  all  sin  that  he 
might  overrule  it  for  good,  whether,  he  could  not  as  easily 
have  ordained  holiness  and  overruled  that  for  good?  If 
they  say,  he  could  but  did  not,  then  it  follows  that  he  suf- 
fered all  the  sins  of  this  world  to  exist,  when  it  was  unneces- 
sary, and  when  he  could  have  promoted  the  same  good 
without  it.  And  if  he  has  suffered  all  the  sins  and  miser- 
ies of  this  world,  which  were  entirely  unnecessary  to   the 

promotion  of  good,  then  he  may  suffer  unnecessary  sin  au4 

11 


122  AReUME^TS  AND  PRINCIPLES 

misery  to  exist  altrays.  K  they  say  he  could  nof  have  over- 
ruled holiness  and  happiness  for  good  as  easily  as  sin  and 
misery  ;  let  me  ask  them  how  they  know  that  omnipotence 
can  overrule  sin  and  misery  any  better  than  holiness  and 
happiness  ?  If  he  could  not  have  accomplished  all  his  pur- 
poses as  well  without  sin  and  misery  as  with  it,  how  do  uni- 
versalists  know  but  such  a  necessity  may  obtain  with  him 
for  ever  ?  But  if  they  say  he  could  not  have  overruled  holi- 
ness and  happiness  for  good  as  easily  as  sin  and  misery; 
then  it  follows,  that  sin,  being  more  easily  overruled  for 
good  than  holiness,  is  preferable  to  holiness!  That,  in 
fact,  sin  is  holiness,  and  holiness  sin !  Why  should  I  not 
kill  my  neighbour,  if  God  has  foreordained  it,  that  he  may 
overrule  it  for  good,  and  for  my  good  ?  And  especially  if 
he  cannot  as.easily  overrule  a  contrary  act  for  good  !  And 
if  he  has  ordained  that  I  should  be  hanged,  that  he  may 
overrule  it  for  my  good,  and  cannot  overrule  any  thing  else 
as  easily  for  my  good,  why  should  I  object?  Hence  it  is 
plain,  that  the  position,  that  God  has  foreordained  all  sin 
and  misery,  that  he  may  overrule  it  all  for  the  good  of  all, 
upsets  the  whole  system  of  moral  science,  and  makes  sin 
and  misery  preferable  to  holiness  and  happiness !  But  this 
absurdity,  palpable  as  it  is,  is  the  very  basis  of  universalism. 
Yet  universalists  talk  of  their  doctrine  of  punishment  as  be- 
ing a  powerful  restraint  to  sin.  How  can  men  fear  to  com- 
mit a  sin,  which  they  think  God  has  foreordained  for  their 
good  ?  And  how  can  they  dread  a  punishment,  which  they 
think  will  be  overruled  for  their  best  good  ?  Such  system 
absolutely  offers  the  best  and  highest  good  as  the  reward 
of  iniquity. 

17.  Hosea  Ballou,  and  others,  have  argued,  thai  all 
things  must  happen  by  divine  appointment  and  foreordina- 
tion,  or  else  God  would  be  disappointed,  and  consequently 
luihappy.  This  is  reasoning  on  God,  just  as  if  we  were  in- 
timately acquainted  with  his  essence ;  and  could  take  a  clear 
and  perfect  survey  of  tite  incomprehensible  God !     Ttjis 


or  UNIVKRSALISM  EXAMINED.  128 

reasoning  would  do  for  rash  and  conceited  Hoys,  but  mtn 
should  blush  to  seem  so  wise.  We  do  not  know  enough 
of  God  to  determine,  \vhether  he  would  be  disappointed 
upon  seeing  any  thing  which  he  had  not  foreordained  ;  nor 
whether  disappointment  would  make  him  either  happy  ot 
unhappy.  The  fact  is,  such  reasoning,  by  attributing  a 
kind  of  incomprehensible  infinity  to  God  in  some  respects, 
and  dwarfing  him  down  to  the  lilieness  of  men  in  others, 
only  betrays  the  presumption  and  vanity  of  infatuated  men ; 
who  too  proud  to  acknowledge  their  ignorance  and  weak- 
ness, and  disdaining  the  limits  of  human  understanding, 
grasp  at  the  omnipotent  and  infinite  Deity,  and  draw  infer- 
ences and  conclusions  about  him  and  from  him,  as  if  he  wag" 
but  a  play  thing  in  their  hands  ! 

18.  But  so  far  as  reason  is  to  guide  us  on  the  question  of 
universalism,  its  best  evidence  would  be,  that  it  tended  in 
its  practical  operations  to  reform  the  profligate,  the  aban- 
doned, and  impious.  Had  the  doctrine  this  recommend, 
it  would  be  the  best  argument  Reason  could  urge  in  its 
favour.  But  alas  for  the  cause !  We  have  said  in  our  Re- 
nunciation, that  it  has  no  such  advantage.  Editors  and 
preachers  of  the  doctrine  say  that  it  has,  in  an  eminent  de- 
gree. We  leave  the  disputed  point  with  the  publick.  We 
see  by  their  papers,  that  the  work  of  proselyting  to  that 
faith  is  advancing  :  societies  and  believers  are  multiplied — 
but  we  may  ask,  where  is  a  single  drunkard  reformed — u 
single  loose,  impious  wretch  reclaimed,  and  converted  to 
piety  and  virtue  by  the  doctrine?  Yes,  we  ask  where,  and 
echo  answers — where !  It  is  not  because  such  men  arc 
prejudiced  against  the  doctrine  or  its  preachers  and  will 
not  hear  them — not  because  they  will  not  hear  it — but  be- 
cause the  vicious  will  not  reform,  until  the  fear  of  hell  set- 
tles down  upon  the  trembling  soul,  and  alarms  the  guilty 
conscience — then  the  pale  votary  of  vice  shrinks  from  hii 
bold  career,  and  humbles  himself  in  penitence  before  God. 
The  author  of  this  work  once  preached  universalism  in  Rip- 


124  AKevuk^fTS  a:«o  fkinciplxs 

l«y,  Chautauque  co.  {N.  Y.)  where  he  found  among  his 
bearers  a  universalist  ciruukard — he  had  been  a  preacher! 
But  he  was  a  constant  attendant  on  the  preaching.  He  ex- 
tolled it — he  praised  the  glorious  sentiment,  till  we  preach- 
ed directly  against  druniieness ;  and  then  he  fled — wfe  have 
never  seen  hini  since. — His  name  v/3S  JVinslotv.  He  liked 
the  doctrine;  but  to  hear  a  universalist  preacher  condemn 
drunkenness  so  poiutedlj,  was  more  than  he  could  bear. — 
So  it  is  with  the  wicked  generally ;  they  love  the  doctrine, 
and  love  their  sins  both  at  once.  How  often  do  we  hear 
men  and  boys  talking  of  the  "unbounded  love  of  God" 
with  a  profane  oath  -a  almost  every  sentence!  The  most 
abandoned  swearers,  and  most  abominable  characters, 
through  the  Stales,  are  frequently  found  advocating, 
amidst  shocking  oaths  and  drunken  revelry,  the  "liberal 
sentiment"! 

We  should  be  sorry  to  state  such  things,  if  we  thought 
it  possible  to  be  mistakeil  about  them.  But  we  cannot  be, 
unless  our  very  senses  have  deceived  us.  We  know  there 
are  some  good  universal ists.  And  as  we  would  be  just  to 
all,  we  will  state,  that  Blessrs.  Th.  Whittemore,  S.  Skinner, 
S.  R.  Smith,  and  most  other  universalist  preachers  of  dis- 
tinction, abating  their  sectarian  animosities,  and  anti-chris- 
tian  opposition  to  all  that  come  in  their  way,  are  doubtless 
good  moralists  and  amiable  men;  but  they  have  seen  and 
learned  enough  to  make  them  so,  without  being  indebted 
to  aniversalism  for  their  goodness. 

How  could  we  txpect  the -doctrine  to  exert  any  general 
restraint  upon  the  passionate  and  vicious?  Suppose  a 
man  whose  passions,  interest,  or  appetite,  urge  him  to  mur- 
der a  neighbour.  Hear  him  as  a  universalist  engaged  in 
the  following  soliloquy.  "If  i  murder  this  man,  I  shall  re- 
move a  great  obstacle  to  my  happiness;  and  it  will  be  noth- 
ing more  than  what  God  hag  appointed  for  my  good.  Th© 
Murder  will  certainly  be  overruled  for  my  good,  and  that  la 
just  what  I  want.     And  as  for  hira,  it  wili  oertsialy  be  over-* 


or   UNIVERBAtiSM  EXAMINED.  125 

ruled  for  his  best  good  too.  Therefore,  I  need  not  shrinli  at 
all  from  the  deed.  If  I  am  punished  for  it,  which  I  must 
be  some  way  or  other,  that  punishment  will  certainly  be 
overruled  for  my  good,  therefore,  I  need  nor  borrow  any 
trouble  about  it,  any  how.  I  am  certain  that  God  loves  me 
and  all  men,  with  an  unbounded  and  everlasting  love,  and 
therefore  will  overrule  whatever  1  may  do  for  my  best  good 
and  that  of  all  men.  Whether  I  murder  or  do  not  murder, 
it  must  come  out  for  my  best  good,  and  I  cannot  do  any 
thing,  which  will  not  be  overruled  for  my  good.  There- 
fore, it  is  no  matter  what  I  do,  or  whether  I  do  any  thing ; 
my  best  good  must  come  out  at  last.  And  although  all  ac- 
tions or  none  at  all,  would  be  alike  overruled  for  my  good, 
yet  it  is  rather  easiest  to  follow  my  present  feelings,  there- 
fore, I  will  kill  the  man !"  The  very  essence  and  founda- 
tion of  universalism,  is,  that  the  highest,  fullest,  and  most 
perfect  happiness,  of  all  mankind  is  unalterably  secured  ia 
the  unchanging  attributes  of  God.  And  hence  it  follows, 
thatman  has  nothing  to  hope  and  nothing  to  fear  but  the 
highest,  fullest,  and  most  perfect  happiness;  and  nothing 
to  do  but  to  go  where  his  passions  lead !  We  think  it  is 
not  possible,  for  all  the  ingenuity  of  universalist  teachers, 
to  evade  these  conclusions,  only  to  relinquish  the  whole 
ground  upon  which  their  doctrine  stands.  Indeed,  I  have 
sometimes  heard  loose;fellows  justifying  their  wickedness 
upon  these  very  principles. 

10.  Universalist  teachers  often  boast  of  being  advocates 
for  the  honour  of  God.  They  often  compare  him  to  a  good 
earthly  parent.  A  good  earthly  parent  will  make  his  son 
as  good  and  happy  as  he  can ;  but  so  far  from  representing 
God  to  be  like  one,  they  represent  him  as  appointing  all  the 
sin  and  misery  in  the  universe !  What  should  we  think  of 
an  earthly  father,  who  should  tell  his  children,  that  he  had 
appointed  and  decreed  all  their  vices,  and  was  just  as  well 
pleased  with  their  vices  as  with  their  virtues.     And  that  he 

would  cause  all  their  vices  and  punishments,  as  well  as  their 

11* 


126  ARGUME.tTi  Ar<D  rRI.fCIPLXt 

Tirtaes  to  resnlt  in  their  best  good  7     Would  this  be  aa  boa- 
ourable  character? 

Universalism  represenfa  God  as  determining  that  mea 
should  commit  all  the  sins  they  commit;  then  command- 
ing them  not  to  commit  them ;  sending  Christ  to  stop  them, 
and  punishing  them  to  reclaim  them;  when,  in  his  omnip- 
otence, he  could  just  as  easily  have  prevented  it  all  at  first! 
Commanding  men  not  to  do,  what  he  determined  they 
should  do ;  and  what  would  be  overruled  for  their  good  and 
for  the  good  of  all.  Verily,  if  God's  honour  depended  on 
the  advocacy  of  men,  we  should  think,  (with  reverence  be 
it  spoken)  he  would  see  the  necessity  of  employing  more 
successful  advocates  than  universalist  preachers!  But  a 
very  great  part  of  universalist  professors,  seem  not  very  te- 
nacious of  God's  honour,  if  we  may  judge  from  the  pro- 
fane and  impious  language,  which  is  known  to  be  used 
among  them.  Would  it  be  much  for  the  honour  of  God» 
to  foreordain  all  the  present  sin  and  misery  of  man — the  final 
salvation  of  all,  reveal  it  in  the  Bible,  and  so  that  most  meo 
should  not  believe  it.  That  one  should  renounce  the  doc- 
trine; that  others  should  persecute  him  for  it:  that  some 
should  spend  their  days  in  advocating  universalism,  and 
others  in  opposing  it:  that  some  should  preach  the  gospel, 
and  others  write  for  infidelity :  that  universalists  should 
compass  sea  and  land  to  make  proselytes  without  reform- 
ing them;  and  yet  overrule  the  belief  in  endless  punish- 
ment for  the  good  of  all,  as  well  as  universalism,  and  every 
thing  else,  if  every  thing  wiM5i  be  overruled  for  the  be9t 
good  of  all,  why  may  we  not  as  well  door  believe  one  thing 
as  another  ?  Why  all  the  pains  t6  teach  universal  salva- 
tion, as  all  other  beliefs  would  be  equally  overruled  for  the 
best  good  of  all  ?  What  perfectly  useless  beings  universal- 
ist preachers  must  be  upon  their  ov.'n  principles!  Sinca 
under  the  shelter  of  "unbounded  love,"  men  cannot  fail  of 
the  greatest  possible  good  ;  and  every  thing  will  promote 
it,  according  to  universalism,  why  may  not  all  men  believe 
any  way,  and  do  any  way,  or  no 'way,  as  p;ission  lead*? 


•  F  P?iITBll«ALriM   r.XAUiy%3.  127 


SECTION  III. 

ArC  txamination  of  the  passages  in  the  Old  Testament,  tohi»k 
uniwrsaliats  suppose  to  teach  their  doctrine. 

1.  We  have  briefly  proved,   or  given   our  reasons   for 
hinking  that  Reason  or  Philosophy  does  not  prove  that  all 

will  be  saved.  We  now  come  to  see  whether  the  Scrip- 
tures teach  it,  taking  them  in  their  most  probable  sense. — 
And  let  it  be  remembered,  that  it  is  not  what  passages  may 
possibly  mean,  that  we  seek,  but  what  they  most  probably 
■jo  mean,  when  viewed  in  reforence  to  their  phraseology^ 
and  the  circumstances  under  which  they  were  composed* 
Our  limits  in  this  volume,  will  not  admit  of  noticing  all  th» 
passagess  that  may  be  thought  to  relate  to  the  question ; 
^or  as  full  a  notice  of  any  as  might  be  useful.  But  we  hope 
to  notice  the  most  prominent  passages,  and  such  as  ar© 
most  confided  in  for  proof  on  both  sides. 

2.  We  will  begin  with  Psalms  ii,  8.  "Ask  of  me,  and  I 
shall  give  thee  the  heathen  for  thine  inheritance  and  th© 
uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  thy  possession.** 

This  passage  might  mean,  that  all  the  heathen,  and  oth- 
ers would  belong  to  Christ's  spiritual  kingdom  ;  or  it  might 
mean,  that  he  should  possess  certain  power  and  authority 
over  them.  If  it  were  a  plain  clear  Scriptural  doctrine, 
that  all  men  would  be  saved,  then  we  should  think  auch 
a  passage  might  possibly  refer  to  it,  but  without  that  evi- 
dence, we  should  think  it  most  probable,  that  it  alludes  to 
the  power  and  authority  which  Christ  should  exercise  over 
all  nations.  As  "all  power  was  given  hirn  in  Heaven  and 
earth,"  the  whole  passage  would  be  literally  fulfilled  in 
that.  And  that  sense  is  rendered  most  probable  frora  th^ 
next  verse;  "Thou  shalt  break  them  with  a  rod  of  iron; 
thoa  shalt  dash  th^ra  in  pieces  like  a  potter's  vessel." — 
This  language  doss  not  imply  a  very  comfortable  salvation. 


123  jkRODMKNTS  AKD  TRINCIPLES 

But,  2d.  The  passage  might  be  fulfilled  ia  a  Milleoium, 
when  all  the  nations  that  shall  then  be  on  earth  shall  be 
evangelized,  and  all  that  then  live  on  earth,  be  more  or  less 
under  the  influence  of  the  christian  religion.  That  such  a 
time  will  come,  the  Scriptures  abundantly  teach,  as  well  as 
many  features  of  this  age  seem  to  indicate  it.  "He  shall 
judge  thy  people  with  righteousness,  and  thy  poor  with 
judgement.  The  mountains  shall  bring  peace  to  the  peo- 
ple, and  the  little  hills,  by  righteousness.  He  shall  judge 
the  poor  of  the  people,  he  shall  save  the  children  of  the 
needy,  and  shall  break  in  pieces  the  oppressor.  They  shall 
fear  thee  as  long  as  the  sun  and  moon  endure,  throughout 
all  generations.  He  shall  come  down  like  rain  upon  the 
mown  grass ;  as  showers  that  water  the  earth.  In  his  days 
shall  the  righteous  flourish;  and  abundance  of  peace  so 
long  as  the  moon  endurcth.  He  shall  have  dominion  also 
from  sea  to  sea,  and  from  the  river  unto  the  ends  of  the 
earth.  They  that  dwell  in  the  wilderness  shall  bow  before 
him;  and  his  eneviies  shall  lick  the  dust.  The  Kings  of 
Tarshish  and  the  isles  shall  bring  presents.  The  Kings  of 
Sheba  and  Seba  shall  offer  gifts.  Yea,  all  Kings  shall  fall 
down  before  him ;  all  nations  shall  serve  him.  For  he  shall 
<leliver  the  needy  when  he  crielh,  the  poor  also,  and  him 
that  bath  ao  helper." — Psalms  lxxii  :  2 — 12.  This  whole 
passage,  no  doubt  describes  the  reign  and  progress  and 
millenial  consummation  of  Christianity  on  earth.  Not  uni- 
versal salvation  in  a  future  state.  For  we  expect  no  moun- 
tains, sun,  moon,  generations,  sea,  rivers,  nor  wilderness  in 
heaven.  Neither  do  we  expect  enemies  there  to  be  broken 
in  pieces,  or  to  lick  the  dust ;  nor  any  Kings  to  bring  pres- 
ents.    Neither  any  poor  there  to  cry  or  need   a  helper. 

*).  "  All  nations  whom  thou  hast  made  shall  come  and 
worship  before  thee,  O,  Lord  ;  and  shall  glorify  thy  name." 
Psalms  Lxxxvi :  9.  This  also  teaches  that  the  ehristiavi 
reUgion  shall  prevail,  and  Christ  shall  be  honoured  in  ail 
the  nations  or  regions  of  the  earth  which  God  has  made.- 


OF  UNiVERSALISM  JEXAMIKXB.  ISC' 

*^     If  the  Holy  Spirit  here  meant  that  all  men  whom  God  ha» 

made  should  come  and  worship  before  him,  it  would  havo 

been  much  better  to  have  said  all  men  instead  QicUnaiicns. 

^    It  is  now  common  for  iw  when  speaking  of  the  spread   of 

the  Gospel  in  all  the  important  regions  of  the  earth  to  use 

:ie  phrase  «//  nations.     So  it  will  be  seen,  did  the  proph- 

:b.     We  speak  of  individuals  going  to  heaven,  but  we  do 

)t  speak  oi  nations  going  there. 

4.  '*  And  it  shall  come  to  jjass,  in  the  last  days,  that  the 
mountain  of  the  Lord's  house  shall    be  established  in  the 
top  of  the  mountains;  and  shall  be  exalted  above  the  hills; 
I    and  all  nations  shall  Jlow  unto  it.     And   many  people  shall 
go  and  say;  Come  ye,  and  let  us  go  up  to  the  mountain  of 

II'  the  Lord — to  the  house  of  the  God  of  Jacob.  And  he  will, 
I'  teach  us  of  his  ways,  and  we  will  walk  in  his  paths':  for  oiit 
of  Zion  shall  go  forth  the  law,  and  the  word  of  the  Lord 
from  Jerusalem.  And  he  shall  judge  among  the  nations, 
\  and  shall  rebuke  many  people  :  and  they  shall  beat  their 
swords  into  plough  shares,  and  their  spears  into  prooning 
hooks :  Dation  shall  not  lift  up  sword  against  nation,  neith- 
er shall  they  learn  war  any  more." — icaiah  ii:  2 — 4. — 
■  The  whole  of  this  evidently  describes  the  exaltation  and 
glory  of  Christ's  kingdom  in  the  "last  days."     The  j)hra' 

■  geology  is  similar  to  that  used  in  the  preceding  quotations. 
It  shows  that  Christianity  is  to  be  exalted  above  every  thing 

■  else,  and  peace  and  virtue  shail  abound  throughout. all  ua- 
l     tions;  which  justifies  the  application  we  have  made  of  the 

foregoing  passages,  as  well,  as  others,  which  are  to  be  uo- 
;  ticed.  "The  wilderness  and  the  solitary  place  shall  bo 
glad  for  them  ;  and  the  desert  shail  rejoice,  and  blossom  as 
the  rose."  "Then  the  eyes  of  the  blind  shall  be  opened, 
and  the  ears  of  the  deaf  shall  be  unstopped.  Then  shall  the 
lame  man  leap  as  a  hart,  and  the  tongue  of  the  dumb  shall 
^  »ing.  For  in  the  wilderness  shall  waters  break  out,  aad 
^tream^  fn  the  desert." — laaial:  xxxv;  1,  .'^,  6.  Tfaei* 
fasBages  have  the  sama  application  without  controrersT. 


130  ARflUMBKTS  AND  PRIKCIPLIU 

"  How  beautiful  upon  the  mvuntains  are  the  feet  of  hiui 
that  bringeth  good  tidings,  that  publishetb  peace,  that 
bringeth  good  tidings  of  good,  that  publisheth  salvation, 
that  saith  unto  Zion,  thy  God  reigneth.  Thy  watchmen 
shall  lift  up  the  voice,  with  the  voice  together  shall  they 
sing ;  for  they  shall  see  eye  to  eye  when  the  Lord  shall  brinp; 
again  Zion.  Break  forth  into  joy,  sing  together  ye  waste 
places  of  Jerusalem,  for  the  Lord  hath  comforted  his  peo- 
ple— he  hath  redeemed  Jerusalem.  The  Lord  hath  made 
bare  his  holy  arm  in  the  eyes  of  all  tiaiions,  and  all  the 
endsof  the  earth  shall  see  the  salvation  of  our  God." — Isa. 
Lii :  7 — 10.  This  phraseology,  the  mountains — the  watch- 
men, the  Zion,  &:c.  accords  with  other  passage-s  descrip- 
tive of  the  Millenium,  and  clearly  indicate  a  glorious  and 
exalted  state  of  the  church,  when  the  pure  principles  of 
Christ  shall  be  exhibited  in  their  beauty ;  the  teacher* 
shall  harmonize  in  the  grand  truths  of  religion,  denomina- 
tional divisions  shall  cease,  and  the  eyes  of  all  nations  then 
in  the  world  shall  see  together  the  glories  of  the  Redeem- 
er. No  candid  interpreter  can  say  this  has  any  reference  to 
a  state  of  salvation  beyond  this  life.  Yet  such  is  to  be  the 
extent  of  Christianity  throughout  the  world,  that  the  proph- 
et says,  "  all  the  ends  (distant  parts)  of  the  earth  shall  see 
th«  salvation  of  our  God."  All  the  parts  of  the  world  shall 
see  that  religion,  through  which  is  obtained  salvation. 

5.  •'  The  voice  of  him  that  crieth  in  the  wilderness,  pre- 
pare ye  the  way  of  the  Lord,  make  straight  in  the  desert  a 
highway  for  our  God.  Every  valley  shall  be  exalted,  and 
every  mountain  and  hill  shall  be  made  low,  and  the  crooked 
shall  be  made  straight,  and  the  rough  places  plain.  And 
the  glory  cf  the  Lord  shall  be  revealed,  and  all  flesh  shall 
see  it  together,  for  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it." 
— Isaiah  xl.  3 — 5. 

There  is  no  question  that  the  prophet  here  begins  with 
the  introduction  of  Christianity  on  earth,  and  clothing  his 
language  with  the  beautiful  prophetick  imagery,  surveys 


OF  UI^1VER8ALI3M  EXAMINED.  131 

U»  progress,  38  itahould  adrance  in  the  world,  overturning 
worldly  inindedness,  prostrating  opposition,  exalting  the 
humble,  purifying  the  affections  and  dispositions  of  men, 
and  promoting  the  peace,  harmony,  and  prosperity  of  the 
world,  till  it  should  at  last  over  all  prevail ;  and  all  flesh  or 
all  mankind,  that  should  then,  in  that  age,  be  in  the  world, 
should  see  his  glory,  i.  e.  should  see  and  appreciate  the 
purity,  utility,  and  glory  of  the  gospel.  The  whole  ima- 
gery and  phraseology  plainly  denote,  that  the  prediction 
refers  to  events  and  scenes  in  this  world,  and  not  in  another. 
It  begins  with  John  the  Baptist,  and  the  mountains,  hills, 
valleys,  and  "  all  flesh"  are  in  this  world.  And  though  all 
these  may  be  figures,  still  they  must  mean  something  that 
exists  in  this  world,  as  we  know  of  nothing  to  correspond 
to  those  things  in  heaven.  We  cannot  expect  mountains, 
in  heaven,  to  be  brought  down  :  nor  valleys  exalted,  nor 
crooked  things  straightened  there  ;  nor  rough  places  made 
smooth. 

6.  "  And  in  this  mountain  shall  the  Lord  of  hosts  make 
unto  all  people  a  feast  of  fat  things,  a  feast  of  wines  on  the 
lees,  of  fat  things  full  of  marrow,  of  wines  on  the  lees  well 
refined.  And  he  will  destroy  in  this  mountain  the  face  of 
the  covering  cast  over  all  people,  and  the  veil  that  is  spread 
over  all  nations.  He  will  swallow  up  death  in  victory  ; 
and  the  Lord  God  will  wipe  away  tears  from  off"  all  faces  ; 
and  the  rebuke  of  his  people  shalP  he  take  away  from  off" 
all  the  earth,  for  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it.  And  it  shall  be 
said  in  that  day,  lo,  this  is  our  God  ;  we  have  waited  for 
him,  and  he  will  save  us ;  this  is  the  Lord  ;  we  have  waited 
for  him,  we  will  be  glad  and  rejoice  in  his  salvation.  For 
in  this  mountain  shall  the  hand  of  the  Lord  rest,  and  Moab 
shall  be  trodden  down  under  him,  even  as  straw  is  trodden 
down  for  the  dunghill." — Isaiah  xxv.  6 — 10. 

These  words  are  considered  strong  proof  that  all  will  be 
saved,  by  universal ists.  We  will  give  our  views  in  form  of 
a  paraphrase. 


152  ARGrME5TI  A!«B  PRir«cirLr.« 

In  Mount  Zion,  the  church  of  Christ,  ghall  the  Lord 
make  rich  provision  of  grace,  niercy,  and  peace,  for  aJI 
'  people.  And  in  the  •advancement  and  spread  of  the  prin^ 
ciples  of  this  church,  shall  the  moral  and  spiritual  dark- 
ness, which  has  hung  like  a  cloud  over  all  mankind,  be 
destroyed.  For  though  "darkness  covered  the  earth,  and 
gross  darkness  the  people,"  yet,  *'  the  light  of  Christ 
shall  come,  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  shall  rise  up- 
on Zion,"  and,  "the  Gentiles  shall  come  to  his  light,  and 
kings  to  the  brightness  of  his  rising."  And  the  Messiah, 
by  "  tasting  death  for  every  man,"  and  rising  from  its 
shades,  shall  "  abolish  death,  and  bring  life  and  immortal- 
ity to  light  through  the  gospel."  Men  in  that  day  and  age 
of  the  church,  through  faith  in  Christ,  shall  be  inspired 
with  the  cheering  and  heavenly  hope  of  immortality  and 
heaven.  And  this  hope  shall  dry  their  tears  of  sorrow  and 
soothe  their  hearts  in  aifliction  with  joy  and  divine  com- 
fort. In  that  glorious  day  of  raiJIenial  prosperity,  the 
gieat  body  of  the  people,  then  in  the  world,  will  say,  this 
is  our  Saviour,  we  expected  him  finally  thus  to  reign  over 
the  affections  of  mankind  ;  and  we  will  rejoice  in  his  good- 
ness. For  in  this  church,  the  power  of  the  Lord  shall  be 
displayed  ;  and  shall  crush  Moab  as  the  iron  shod  wheel 
grindeth  the  straw  for  cattle. 

1.  We  conclude  all  this  to  refer  to  the  millenial  success 
of  the  charch,  because  the  scenes  are  all  laid  in  the  earth 
or  this  world.  The  mountain,  where  all  this  was  to  be  ac- 
complished, was  Mount  Zion,  literally,  Jerusalem  ;  but  in 
scripture  usage  it  implies  the  church. 

2.  There  is  a  covering  of  darkness  on  the  minds  of  men 
in  this  world,  to  be  destroyed  by  the  light  of  the  gospel ; 
but  universalists  will  not  allow  that  there  is  any  veil  or  cov- 
ering of  darkness  in  another  world  to  be  destroyed. 

3.  Ther©  are  tears  of  sorrow  in  this  world  to  be  wipe<3 
away,  but  our  opponents  will  not  allow  any  in  the  next. 
And  the  offers  of  salvation  through  Christ,  on  the  terms  o  f 


or  Ur^IVERSALISM  EXAMINED. 


ISTj 


reformation  and  a  good  life,  do  dry  the  tears,  and  soothe 
the  aching  hearts  of  all  the  afflicted,  who  heartily  embrace 
Christ  now. 

4.  The  provisions  of  the  gospel  are  nften  represented  in 
the  scriptures  as  a  "  great  feast,"  and  mankind  are  invited 
to  partake,  and  are  represented  as  sometimes  accepting 
and  sometimes  rejecting  it. —  [See  Isaiah  lv.  1,  2.  Matth. 
XXII.  1—14.     Luke  xiv.  7—24.  John  vii.  37.] 

5.  Death  is  swallowed  up  in  victory,  *'  by  the  appearance 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  life  and  immortality  are 
brought  to  light  in  thegospel."-(See  II.  Tira.  i.  10.]--x\nd 
this  victorious  hope  which  disarms  death  for  the  christian, 
and  gives  him  triumph  over  the  grave,  shall  be  realized  ia 
the  resurrection.— [See  I.  Cor.  xv.  54—57.] 

6.  The  people  are  to  say  in  that  day,  at  the  time  to 
which  the  prophet  alludes,  "  we  have  waited  for  him,  and 
he  ivill  save  us,"  see  9th  v.  which  language  would  be  proper 
for  believers  in  this  state,  but  we  could  not  expect  men  in 
the  heavenly  world,  who  were  already  saved,  would  say 
"  he  will  save  us  !" 

7.  The  treading  down  of  Moab,  which  shall  take  place  at 
that  time,  as  straw  is  trodden  down  for  the  dung  hill,  clear- 
ly indicates,  that  these  are  scenes  to  transpire  in  this  world. 

8.  The  phrase,  "  the  rebuke  of  his  people  shall  he  take 
away  from  off  all  the  earth,''''  fixes  the  scenes  to  this  world. 
The  phrase,  "  wipe  away  tears  from  off  all  faces,"  must 
be  understood  to  mean,  that  mankind  g-CTieraZ/i/ then  upon 
earth,  will  be  consoled  with  the  hopes  of  the  gospel.  We 
gay  it  must  be,  in  order  to  correspond  with  the  context, 
and  the  general  voice  of  scripture.  All  generally  means 
every  one ;  but  not  always.  It  is  often  used  in  the  Bible, 
as  v/ell  as  in  our  day,  to  denote  the  maiivpart,  or  the  whole 
in  a  general  sense,  with  some  exceptions. — (See  Matth.  in. 
5.  Rom.  XV.  13.)— At  most  we  could  guppose  the  pro- 
phet xaeaat  no  more  by   aU  thao   the   whole   number  of 

12 


134  ARftUMENTS  AWD  PRINCIPLES 

whom  ho  wft9  speaking  ;  and  he  was  speakiDg  of  no  more 
than  what  shall  then  be  in  the  world. 

7.  "  Look  unto  me,  and  be  ye  saved,  all  the  ends  of  the 
earth  ;  for  I  am  God,  and  there  is  none  else.  I  have  sworn 
by  myself,  the  word  has  gone  out  of  my  mouth  in  righteous- 
ness, and  shall  not  return,  that  unto  me  every  knee  shall 
bow,  every  tongue  shall  swear.  Surely,  shall  one  say,  in 
the  Lord  have  I  righteousness  and  strength.  Even  to  him 
shall  men  come,  and  all  that  are  incensed  against  him  shall 
be  ashamed." — Isa.  lxv.  22 — 24. 

Universalists  resort  to  this  passage  with  the  fullest  as- 
surance. They  say,  "  In  the  phrase,  '  surely  shall  one 
tay,'  the  word  one  is  not  in  the  original :  hence  the  Lord 
declared,  that  every  knee  shall -bow  to  him,  and  every 
tongue  shall  swear  and  say,  'surely,  in  the  Lord  have  I 
righteousness  and  strength,'  which  implies  salvation,  in 
the  Strongest  terms."  They  tell  us,  they  are  sure  enough 
of  universal  salvation,  because  God  has  taken  his  oath  of 
it  !" 

'On  this  we  remark  1.  St.  Paul,  in  Rom.  xiv.  11,  quotes 
from  this  passage  to  prove  that  we  shall  appear  before  God 
in  judgement,  and'  give  an  account  there  for  our  actions. 
Of  course,  he  supposed  the  bowing  and  confessing  before 
God,  in  this  passage,  implied  an  acknowledgement  or  sense 
of  the  justice  of  God,  and  the  enormity  of  sin.  And  all 
might  acquiesce  in  the  righteousness  of  the  last  judgement, 
without  being  all  saved.  Paul  did  not  live  in  this  age  of 
improvement,  but  still  we  think  him  an  excellent  interpret- 
er of  the  prophesies. 

2.  By  examining  authors,  it  will  be  found,  that  the  phrase 
"surely  shall  (one)  say,  in  the  Lord  have  I  righteousness 
and  strength,"  on  which  universalists  are  so  curious  to 
push  out  the  word  one,  varies  much  in  the  ancient  manu- 
script copies,  so  that  the  most  ccirrect  or  probable  readii.g 
'  is,  ♦'  saying  only  to  Jehovah  belongeth  salvation  and  pow- 
er."   Therefore,  in  the  judgement,  suppose,  all  see  display- 


or  UNIYKRSAilBM  EXAMIIfXD.  136 

ed  tbe  justice  and  righteousness  of  God,  and  inspirit  con- 
fess the  same,  "  saying,  only  to  Jehovah  belongeth  salvation 
and  power,"  they  may  not  a!l  be  saved. 

3.  The  phrase,  "  and  all  that  are  incensed  against  him 
shall  be  ashamed,"  favours  our  interpretation,  and  Paul's; 
and  implies,  that  some  who  bow  the  knee,  are  not  incens- 
ed against  him,  and  shall  not  be  ashamed,  and  that  others, 
when  they  hoy.'  and  confess,  shall  be  incensed  against  him, 
and  shall  be  ASHABiED.  If  this  is  universal  salvation,  then 
it  follows,  that  some  will  enter  heaven,  with  "  eongs  and 
everlasting  joy  upon  their  heada,"  having  their  'robes 
washed  and  made  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,"  and 
"  arrayed  in  fine  linen,  clean  and  white,  which  is  the  righ- 
teousness of  saints,"  while  the  rest,  being  incensed  against 
God,  shall  come  with  burning  shame  upon  their  faces  I ! 
Wonder  if  this  is  the  same  universal  salvation,  which  Daniel 
referred  to  xii.  2.  "And  many  of  them  that-sleep  in  the 
dust  of  the  earth  shall  awake,  some  to  everlasting  life,  and 
some  to  SHAME  and  everlasting  contempt."  Deliver  ui 
from  that  part  of  the  salvation,  which  is  composed  of  s/iam« 
and  contempt. 

8.  "  All  the  ends  of  the  world  shall  remember  and  tura 
unto  the  Lord  ;  and  all  the  kindred  of  the  nations  shall 
worship  before  thee." — Psalms  xxii.  27. 

"  All  the  ends  of  the  world,''  is  a  phrase  common  in  the 
prophets  to  denote  the  most  distant  and  unknown  parts  or 
extremes  of  the  earth.  All  the  distant  parts  of  the  world 
s'jall  finally,  in  the  extent  of  Christ's  kingdom,  be  evaiig«i- 
ized  and  turn  to  God.  It  cannot  mean  that  all  that  ever 
did  or  ever  will  inhabit  the  distant  parts  of  the  earth  shall 
turn  to  God  ;  because  millions  of  such  have  left  the  world 
already  without  turning  to  God  ;  and  if  the  Psalmist  meant 
to  teach  that  departed  spirits  would  all  remember  rChd  turn 
to  the  Lord  he  would  not  have  called  them  the  ends  of  th$ 
ioorld.  By  "  ends  of  the  world"  ho  most  probably  meant 
only  such  as  should  inhabit  tha   extreme!  of  the  earth,  at 


136  ARGUME5T3  A>  D  PRI.XCIPLM 

the  time  the  prediction  should  be  fulfilled,  including,  by 
implication  of  course,  the  general  spread  of  the  gospel 
amocg  all  people  then  to  be  on  earth. 

"All  the  Afno-tfoi7i5  of  the  nations  shall  worship  before 
thee,"  signifies  simply,  that  the  gospel  of  Christ  shall  then 
find  its  friends  and  its  votaries  among  all  the  families  of  the 
nations.  That  some  at  least  in  every  family  shall  embrace 
Christ.  Or  at  least,  that  Christ's  church  shall  then  so 
extensively  prevail,  as  to  justify  such  pro phetick  language. 
Dr.  Clarke  says  on  the  text,  "  And  all  the  kindreds  of  na- 
tions, mishpechoth,  the  families  of  the  nations,— -not  only 
the  nations  of  the  world  shall  receive  the  gospel  as  a  reve- 
lation from  God,  but  each  family  shall  embrace  it  for  their 
own  salvation." 

9.  In  Jeremiah  xxxi.  31 — 34,  there  is  a  prediction  which 
speaks  of  the  new  covenant  which  God  should  make  with 
the  house  of  Israel,  which-universalists  sometimes  quote 
with  great  assurance  to  prove  the  salvation  of  all  men. — 
But  a  moment's  attention  to  the  words  will  satisfy  us  that 
no  such  thing  is  intimated  there.  There  is  not  the  least 
allusion  there  to  any  except  the  people  of  Israel.  And  if 
the  text  proved  the  salvation  of  ail  the  children  of  Abra- 
ham, it  could  prove  nothing  about  the  rest  of  mankind.  But 
when  the  context  and  connexion  are  consulted,  we  think 
the  candid  reader  will  be  sntisfijid  that  the  prophecy  re- 
lates to  the  raillenial  state  of  that  nation,  when  the  children 
of  Israel  shall  receive  the  new  covenant,  embrace  Christ 
as  the  Messiah  ;  and  all  of  them,  that  shall  live  in  the  world 
at  that  time,  know  the  Lord,  receive  forgiveness  of  sins 
through  Christ,  and  obey  his  law.  The  verses  that  follow 
are  conclusive  evidence  that  the  prophet  was  referring  to 
scenes  and  events  that  would  transpire  on  earth. 

10.  "  For  the  Lord  will  not  cast  oiTfor  ever." — Lamtnta- 
Hons  III.  31. 

This  passage  is  reported  to  as  positive  proof  liiar  God 
will  net  cast  any  off  for  ever.     VV^ell,  if  God  has  said  that 


or  UNIVKRSALISW  EXAMIWKD.  137 

be  will  not  cast  anj  part  of  mankind  off  for  ercr,  we  would 
not  say  he  will  do  it,  for  all  the  mines  of  Peru.  If  we  can- 
not yair/?/  account  for  such  an  expression  here,  without  the 
salvation  of  all  men,  we  will  yield  the  question  and  renounce 
our  Renunciation.  It  is  the  7R0St  probable  sense  of  the  pro- 
phet that  we  want.  In  the  verses  preceding  our  text  he 
was  lamenting  his  own  calamities.  And  he  looks  up  to  the 
Lord  in  his  affliction,  and  consoles  himself  with  the  reflec- 
tion, that  God  is  good  and  kind  to  them  that  seek  him, 
and  keep  his  commandments.  "The  Lord  is  good  unto 
them  that  wait  for  him,  to  the  soul  that  seeketh  him," 
ver.  15.  In  this  source  he  rests,  believing  that  his  trials 
will  end,  because  the  Lord  will  not  cast  off  stuck  for  ever; 
for  though  he  may  cause  such  to  have  grief,  yet  he  will  have 
compassion  according  to  the  multitude  of  his  mercies.  We 
say  this  may  be  the  meaning  of  the  text.  The  reason  the 
prophet  did  not  describe  what  kind  of  people  the  Lord 
would  not  cast  off  for  ever  in  the  verse,  is,  because  he  had 
so  plainly  described  what  kind  of  people  he  meant  in  the 
verses  preceding,  as  to  make  it  entirely  unnecessary.  Ta- 
king his  words  as  a  continued  discourse,  we  find  him  speak- 
ing of  a  particular  kind  of  people  ;  and  of  the  ground  upon 
which  th£y  might  rest  their  hopes  in  affliction.  And  in 
speaking  of  them,  and  of  their  privileges,  we  could  not  ex- 
pect him  to  describe  them  distinctly  in  every  sentence. 

2.  We  give  some  otjjer  reasons  why  we  think  this  must 
be  his  meaning,  because  such  sense  not  only  accords 
with  the  thread  of  his  discourse,  but  also  with  the  general 
voice  of  scripture,  which  every  where  offers  encouragement 
and  hope  to  the  good  in  affliction.  *'  Be  glad  in  the  Lord, 
and  rejoice  ye  righteous ;  and  shout  for  joy,  all  ye  that  are 
upright  in  heart." — Psalms  xxxii.  11. — "  Many  are  the 
afflictions  of  the  righteous;  but  the  Lord  delivqreth  them 
out  of  them  all." — Psalms  xxxiv.  19. — "For  the  arms  of 
the  wicked  shall  be  broken  ;  but  the  Lord  upholdeth  the 

righteous."— P«oim«  xxxvii.  17. — ♦*  The  wicked  is  driven 

12* 


1^  AReUMKIfTS  A5D  PRlNCtPLXI 

awajr  ia  bis  wickedness  ;  but  the  righteous  hath  hop«  m 
his  death."*— Pror.  xiv.  32. 

3.  The  scriptures  teach  that  God  will  cast  off  the  wicked 
forever;  and  of  course,  the  prophet  only  meant,  that  h» 
would  not  cast  off  the  righteous.  "If  thou  seek  him,  h« 
will  be  found  of  thee  ;  but  if  thou  forsake  him,  he  will  caxt 
thee  off  for  ever.''* — I.  Chron.  xxviii.  9. — We  .further  think 
our  explanation  confirmed  by  the  fact  that  the  scriptures 
generally  teach  the  "  everlasting  destruction''  of  those  who 
do  not  turn  from  their  wickedness  and  lead  good  lives. 

We  have  now  very  briefly  attended  to  the  most  promi- 
nent passages  in  the  Old  Testament,  on  which  universal- 
ism  seeks  to  rest ;  and  we  have  found  not  a  vestige  ©fit 
there.  It  finds  Bot  the  least  support  there ;  but  appear* 
like  an  exotick  of  modern  birth,  hovering  over  the  venera- 
ble realms  of  prophesy,  and  here  and  there  lights  a  mo- 
ment, upon  some  towering  vision  of  Christ's  millenial  glo- 
ry. But  panting  and  gasping,  as  in  an  incongenial  clime, 
it  now  flutters  away  to  seek  some  more  hospitable  shelter 
amidst  the  scenes  of  Christ  and  the  apostles.  Hither  we 
will  accompany  our  old  friend.  For  we  have  nwsed  and 
plumed  it,  and  followed  its  nnhappy  wanderings,  so  often  as 
to  know  very  well  its  course.  And  watching  its  fate  in  the 
hands  of  the  heavenly  messengers,  till  we  see  it  in  ail  the 
apparent  agonies  of  death,  and  hear  celestial  responses  fall- 
ing tipon]_the,air,  then  we  will  hand  it  over  to  its  friends, 
who  some  consider  real  conjurers,  and  able  to  resuscitst© 
the  very  dead.f 

*How  would  this  text  sound  thus,  "  The  righteous  hath  hope  in 
his  death  of  going  to  heaven ;  but  the  wicked  may  have  the  same 
hope  in  death ;  for  they  shall  be  driven  away  in  their  wickedness 
into  heaven." 

tWe  have  been  told  by  universalists,  that  there  was  no  use  in 
writing  against  the  doctrine,  because  their  writers  were  so  cunning 
that  they  would  make  therr  deetrise  l»ok  plausible,  if  it  were  ever 
so  false. 


OF  UNIVERSALI5M  EXAMINED.  139 


SECTION  IT. 

Passages  in  the  Neio    Testament  supposed  to  teach  univsr- 
salism^  considered. 

"  And  she  shall  bring  forth  a  son  and  thou  shall  call  his 
name  Jesus  ;  for  he  shall  save  his  people  from  their  sins." 
—Matth.i.2L 

On  this  text  tiniversalists  contend,  that  all  mankind  are 
Christ's  by  creation  and  redemption ;  and  as  he  shall  save  his 
people  from  their  sins,  therefore,  he  must  save  all  mankind. 

The  passage  is  so  equivocal  alone,  that  if  the  scriptures 
generally,  clearly  taught  the  salvation  of  all  mankind  ;  and 
if  this  were  generally  implied  in  their  language,  then  we 
should  think  this  text  might  be  so  understood.  But  if  the 
common  sentiment  of  scripture  is,  that  although  all  men 
are  his  by  creation  and  redemption,  yet  the  penitent  and 
good  are  his  in  another  sense,  viz  :  by  adoption;  and  he  is 
represented  as  saving  only  such  as  voluntarily  submit  to 
him,  then  we  ought  to  understand  the  text  to  mean  simply, 
that  it  should  be  his  office  and  business  to  save  sinners 
from  sin,  as  far  as  they  comply  with  the  terras  on  which 
they  must  be  saved.  If  the  means  by  which  he  saves  his 
people  from  their  sins,  were  certain  and  irresistible,  then 
we  might  suppose  all  would  be  certainly  saved  from  them. 
But  look  at  them.  1.  Redemption,  "he  gave  himself  a 
ransom  for  all,"  and  is  *'  a  propitiation  for  the  sins  of  the 
whole  world." 

Now  then,  if  redemption  alone  were  a  sure  and  infallible 
means  of  salvation,  as  it  is  universal,  all  men  must  be  sa- 
ved from  sin.  Bat  so  far  from  it,  redemption  alone  can- 
not save  a  single  soul.  Universal  redemption  was  made 
and  completed  near  two  thousand  years  ago  ;  and  if  that 
were  sufficient  alone  to  save  from  sin,  all  men  would  have 
been  delivered  from  sin  the  moment  that  great  work  was 


140  AR«CMJC«r«  AZ^D  rRIWClPLES 

"  finished."  But  alas — sin  continued  ttill !  Hence  the 
redemption  made  does  no  good  until  it  be  applied.  And 
it  must  not  only  be  made  for  all,  but  actually  appZiet/ to  all, 
if  they  are  ever  saved.  2.  A  second  means  by  which  Je- 
sus saves  his  people  from  their  sins,  is  the  gift  of  his  doc- 
trines, precepts,  and  commandments,  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment. These  command  *'  all  men  every  where  to  repent," 
'*  to  repent  and  be  baptised  for  the  remission  of  their  sins," 
that  '*  their  sins  may  be  blotted  out,"  &c.  They  say, 
**  come  unto  me  all  ye  that  labour  and  are  heavy  laden  and 
I  will  give  you  rest." — Matth.  xi.  28. — "  Ask,  and  it  shall 
be  given  you,  seek,  and  ye  shall  find ;  knock,  and  it  shall 
be  opened  unto  you." — Matth.  vii.  7. — But  these  means 
are  not  irresistible.  All  have  not  obeyed  them.  3.  A 
third  means  by  which  Jesus  saves  his  people  from  sin,  is, 
the  establishment  of  a  gospel  ministry,  which  however  use- 
ful and  efficient  is  not  irresistible.  Often  are  sinners  awa- 
kened under  the  well  directed  and  fervid  eloquence  of  the 
pulpit;  but  many  icill  not  be  persuaded.  4.  A  fourth 
means  is  the  effusion  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  But  this  is  not 
irresistible.  It  has  been  acting  powerfully  upon  the  hearts 
of  the  people,  from  the  beginning  of  time;  but  all  have  not 
yeilded  to  its  warnings.  It  moves  upon  the  mind  as  a  per- 
suading angel.  But  submission  to  God  must  be  the  sin- 
ner's own  act.  He  has  power  to  resist  all  the  means  of 
persuasion  instituted  in  the  gospel  of  Christ  for  his  deliv- 
erance from  sin.  Redemption  opens  the  door  to  the  sin 
bound  wretch.  The  words  of  Christ  in  the  gospel  direct 
him  to  it.  The  living  ministry  speaks  to  him — invites — 
admonishes — and  urges  him  to  rise  and  escape.  The  Ho- 
ly Ghost  whispers  to  his  soul,  in  language  of  strong  and 
ardent  persuasion.  This  is  the  way,  and  may  we  not  say, 
the  only  way,  that  Jesus  saves  his  people  from  their  sins. 
No  more  powerful  means  coiild  be  used  without  annihila- 
ting our  moral  freedom  and  accountability,  so  thatsubmis- 
eioo  it««lf  would  not  be  onr  own  act.     Bot  all  thase  means 


or  UNIVERSALISM  EXAMI.NEO.  141 

have  never  saved  all  men  from  their  sins — nor  indeed  any, 
except  such  as  turned,  in  the  Iree  and  spontaneous  exercise 
of  their  own  powers,  to  Jesus  Christ.  In  this  way  Jesus 
shall  save  all  his  people  from  their  sins,  who  will  yield  to 
his  control.  And  we  think  this  is  the  only  way  any  can 
be  saved.  We  can  no  more  expect  God  to  make  us  wise 
and  good  without  our  exertions,  than  rich  and  cppulsnt 
without  our  industry.  This  encourages  virtue  by  similar 
but  higher  motives  than  those^  which  lead  to  other  human 
efforts.  It  gives  hope  and  blissful  anticipation  to  the  good; 
and  the  impenitent  and  incorrigible  ought  not  to  h-tve  a 
hope  of  heaven.  If  they  want  a  hope  and  desire  salvation, 
let  them  forsake  their  sins,  and  turn  to  Jesus:  and  this 
system  then  offers  them  hope  and  heaven.  But  if  they  do 
not  want  hcxven  enough  to  be  willing  to  lead  a  life  of  piety 
and  virtue  for  it,  it  is  beneath  the  dignityof  a  christian  min- 
istry to  attempt  to  inspire  them  with  the  hope  of  heaven  on 
tkeir  own  terras. 

"And  the  angel  said  unto  them,  fear  not ;  for  behold  1 
bring  you  good  tidings  of  great  joy,  which  shall  be  to  all 
people.  For  unto  you  is  born,  this  day,  in  the  city  of  Da- 
vid, a  Saviour,  which  is  Christ  the  Lord." — LuJce  ii.  10, 11. 
Thig  passage  is  often  quoted  in  proof  of  universal  s?.!- 
vation.  But  to  an  unprejudiced  rainel,  not  disposed  to 
cavil,  and  acquainted  with  the  vagueness  of  words  and  the 
philosophical  imperfection  in  many  popular  expressioha, 
which  after  all  convey  thoughts  and  make  impressions 
with  sufficient  accuracy,  it  is  believed  the  above  passage 
will  not  appear  to  have  been  designed  to  teach  any  thing 
about  universalism.  The  shepherds  were  watching  thair 
flocks  in  the  fields  by  night.  Suddenly  an  angel  appeared 
to  them.  They  were  amazed  and  terrified  at  the  sight  of 
the  heavenly  messenger,  and  the  bright  glory  that  beamed 
around  him.  The  angel  spoke  and  said  "fear  not,"  pot 
designing  to  teach  not  to  fear  the  threatenings  of  the  vio- 
lated law.  but  to  allay  their  consternation  and  becalm  their 


143  ARGVUXR^TS  A»D  rilI9CIPI.CI 

minds,  be  would  have  them  understand  that,  he  had  aot 
come  as  a  mhiister  of  vengeance  from  heaven  to  them ;  but 
had  come  to  bring  them  the  most  interesting  tidings  that 
were  ever  communicated  to  guilty  men.  *'  For  behold — I 
bring  you  good  tidings  of  great  joy,  which  shall  be  to  all 
people."  Observe,  he  did  not  say,  *'  fear  not  the  Lord,  nor 
endless  wretchedness  for  continuance  in  sin  ;  for  all  men 
or  people  shall  certainly  be  saved,"  but  '*  I  bring  you  good 
tidings  of  great  joy,  which  shall  be  unto  all  people."  If 
the  good  tidings  of  great  joy  was  not  universal  salvation, 
what  was  it  ?  Answer — "  For  unto  you  is  born,  this  day, 
in  the  city  of  David,  a  Saviour,  which  is  Christ  the  Lord." 
This  was  "good  tidings  of  great  joy,  to  all  people,"  be- 
cause he  was  "  the  propitiation  for  the  sins  of  the  whole 
world,"  he  "  tasted  death  for  every  man,"  and  *'  gave  him- 
self a  ransom  for  all."  But  this  only  proves  there  was  a 
universal  provision  made  for  the  salvation  of  all  men  ;  and 
not  that  all  men  will  certainly  be  saved.  If  this  was  the 
angeVs  meaning,  why  did  he  not  add,  that  the  Saviour  is 
not  only  born,  to  day  ;  but  ♦*  through  him  all  men  shall 
certainly  be  saved?"  AH  men  needed  a  Saviour;  and 
it  was  a  subject  of  just  and  reasonable  joy  to  all  that  one 
was  provided.  Because  all  had  the  offer  of  salvation 
through  him.  But  the  provision  of  a  Saviour  for  all,  was 
not  all  that  was  necessary  for  the  salvation  of  all.  On  the 
part  of  God,  a  Saviour  must  be  provided.  This  was  done. 
But  on  the  part  of  men,  this  Saviour  must  be  believed  in 
and  embraced.  This  is  done  in  some  cases  ;  and  in  others, 
he  is  rejected.  By  the  gospel  plan,  the  ccrrespondent  ac- 
tion of  both  God  and  man  was  made  necessary  to  salvation. 
Hence,  our  Saviour  says,  "  For  God  so  loved  the  world, 
that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  son,  (not  to  save  all  mankind 
at  any  rate,  but)  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should 
not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  hfe." — John  iii.  16. — Thi» 
exhibits  the  Saviour  provided  for  all  men,  so  that  tcfeosoerfr 
bcliev«th  or  embracoth   him,  so  «s  to  live  in  tht  precept* 


©r  UFITKPvSALISM  EXAMi:tED.  143 

•f  hi«  religion,  shall  not  perish,   as  others  will,  but  have 
everlasting  life.     Suppose,  ten   men  confined  in  a  dismal 
dungeon  of  Algiers.     They  have  foolishly  wandered  away 
from  our  happy  country,  expecting  to  find,  in  foreign  lands, 
something  better  than  is  afibrded  here.     But  they  are  cap- 
tured by  barbarians,  imprisoned  and  condemned  to  die. — 
Our  President  sends   a   minister  \)ith  plenary  powers,  to 
pay  a  ransom,  io  the  name  of  the  President,  for  their  de- 
liverance.    His  orders  are,  that  when  the  ransom  is  paid, 
and  the    prison  door  is  open,  such    as  will  thankfully  ac- 
cept the  kind  mediation,  and  come  out  of  prison,  shall  re- 
ceive the  benefit  of  this  interposition;  but  such,  as  will  not, 
but  depend  on  the  minister  not  only  to  open  the  door,  but 
to  carry  them  out,  are  to  be  left  to  perish  without  any  far- 
ther efforts.     Just  as  the  minister  of  state  lands  upon  the 
barbarous  shore,  he  despatches  a  messenger  to  the  prison, 
with  the  news  of  his  arrival.     The   messenger  suddenly 
appears  in  the  midst  of  them.     They  tremble,  as  they  take 
him  to  be  a  minister  of  the  law,  about  to  inflict  some  awful 
punishment  upon  them,   when   he   says  to  them    "  fear 
not-— behold  I  am  come  to  bring  you  good  news — joyful 
tidings  for  all  of  you.     A  minister  of  state  has  come  from 
America;  he  is  come  as  a  saviour  to  pay  your  ransom, 
and  soon  he  will  be  here  to  open  your  doors."-    At  last  he 
comes  and  opens  the  prison  doo.rs  and  says  to  the  prisoners, 
"come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labour,  in  this  dungeon,  and  I 
.  v?ili  give  you  liberty — for  our  good  President  has  so  loved 
5  you,  that  he  has  sent  me,  that  whosoever  of  you  would  now 
^  improve  the  opportunity  to  come  to  me,  should  not  perish  in 
*  this  prison,  but  have  liberty  and  a  happy  home,  for  he  did 
'  not  send  me  here  to  add  to  your  calamities,  but  that  you 
ht  come   home  to  our  happy  country."     The  prison- 
liave  lounged  about  in  the  prison  and  become  extremely 
.       ,  and  acquired  a  captious  and  caviling  disposition  with- 
I,  al,  so  that  they  are  incHned  to  stay  where  they  ^re.     "  This 
is  their  condemnaiion,  that  light  has  come  into  the  world,  bat 


]44  argume:<ts  a.md  rRi^ciPLES 

men  choose  darkness  rather  than  light  because  their  deeds 
are  evil."  The  minister  of  state  shows  them  his  commis- 
sion ;  and  urges  them  to  come  out.  He  has  a  number  of 
philanthropick  friends  who  also  press  upon  the  prisoners 
the  necessity  of  coming  out.  Some  of  them,  at  length, 
vield  and  come  to  the  minister.  He  clasps  them  to  his  bo- 
som ;  weeps  tears  of  affection  over  them  ;  clothes  them  in 
rich  attire  ;  and  assures  thera  they  shall  go  home  to  their 
famiiie.?,  where  the  President  has  provided  an  abundance 
for  their  comfort  and  support.  Others  begin  to  say,  "  we 
shall  certainly  get  out  some  how  or  other ;  because  the 
messenger  who  first  pnnonnced  the  arrival  of  this  minister 
of  state,  informed  os  that  he  had  brought  us  good  tidings 
of  greatjoy,  which  should  be  to  us  all,  because  a  deliverer 
and  saviour  had  come.  Therefore,  it  would  be  a  good 
thing  enough  to  be  sure,  for  us  to  go  out ;  but  we  have 
nothing  to  fear.  For  it  could  be  no  good  news  to  us,  un- 
less we  are  actually  to  get  out ;  and  he  could  be  no  saviour 
to  us,  unless  he  is  actually  to  save  us."  Then  suppose 
we  see  these  same  reasoners,  lying  down  in  their  dungeons, 
and  occasionally  cursing  the  name  of  the  minister  of  state, 
and  abusing  those,  who  were  urging  them  to  come  out,  as 
interested  knaves!  Should  we  feel  sure  under  all  these 
circumstances,  that  they  would  ever  all  get  out  ?  And 
should  we  think  strange  if  the  good  ambassador  should 
finally  turn  away  and  leave  them  to  their  own  destruction  ? 
The  plan  of  the  gospel,  as  thus  exhibited  would  fully  ex- 
plain and  justify  the  language  of  the  angel,  who  announced 
the  saviour's  birth  as  *'  good  tidings  of  great  joy  to  all 
people."  The  heavenly  hosts  exclaimed,  '•  glory  to  God 
in  the  highest,  and  on  earth,  peace,  and  good  will  to  men." 
Though  they  announced  peace  on  earth,  as  the  result  of 
our  Saviour's  advent ;  yet  as  this  depended  on  the  spon- 
taneous agency  ©f  men,  in  submitting  to  his  principles, 
peace  on  earth  has  prevailed,  only  where  men  have  devo^ 
ted  and  yielded  themselves   to  his  peaceable  reign.      And 


OF  UNIVER8AL18M  BXAMI5EDI.  145 

although,  tho  angelick  choir  announced  his  advent,  as  a 
subject  of  joy  and  felicitation  to  all  men  ;  yet  as  their  saU 
ration  depends  on  submission  to  him,  the  obstinate  may 
resist,  and  never  be  saved.  There  is  nothing  in  the  text, 
that  indicates  any  thing  more,  than  a  rich  and  universal 
provision  for  the  salvation  of  all  men,  so  far  as  the  work 
depended  upon  God.  But  to  say,  the  whole  work  is  to 
be  performed  by  God  alone,  is  just  as  absurd  as  to  say, 
God  must  build  our  houses,  as  well  as,  to  give  us  timbeif 
to  build  them  with,  and  ability  to  build  them  for  ourselves. 
If  we  do  not  work  and  use  the  powers  he  has  given  us  to 
build  houses  for  ourselves  we  should  be  compelled  to  do 
without  them.  Why  not  just  as  reasonable  for  him  to 
make  our  salvation  too,  to  depend  upon  our  using  the  moral 
powers  he  has  given  us  ?  If  he  made  our  salvation  to  de- 
pend on  the  use  of  powers,  upon  our  part,  which  he  has 
nevelr  given,  that  would  alter  the  case.  But  on  his  part 
he  has  engaged  to  do  every^  thing  toward  our  salvation^ 
which  we  cannot  do  for  ourselves.-  What  more  can  wo 
ask  ?  What  excuse  can  we  make  for  not  using  the  talent 
put  in  our  hand.s  ?  What  little  power  we  possess,  is,  while 
we  are  allowed  to  retain  it,  at  our  will,  just  as  much  as 
God's  power  is  at  the  direction  of  his  will.  So  far  as  wa 
have  power  to  act  at  all,  we  act  with  the  same  freedom  of 
will  that  God  does.  And  if  we  will  not  use  the  little  power 
we  possess,  for  our  own  salvation,  how  can  we  expect  God 
to  use  his,  to  accomplish  his  own  part  of  the  work  for  us, 
and  ours  too  ?  This  is  not  the  way  men  reason  on  the  busi- 
ness of  acquiring  knowledge  or  riches — but  the  business 
of  becoming  good — that — that,  they  conceive  to  be  quite 
another  thing.  That  "  alters  the  ca^e  !"  They  are  wil- 
ling to  exert  the  power  they  possess  as  distinct  agents  in 
all  other  matters — but  the  work  of  turning  to  God,  forsa- 
king sin,  and  leading  good  lives — that,  many  will  leave  to 
God  to  do  entirely  for  them,  without  any  effort  on  their 
part !     And  aJi  the  power  God^gave  them  for  that  purpose, 

13 


146  ARGUMENTS  AND   PRIWCITLES 

they  are  willing  to  bury  in  the  earth,  and  deny  they  ever 
had  it ;  or  let  him  take  it,  when  he  calls  for  it  without  use  ; 
thinking,  he  must  be  a  hard  nmster  to  require  them  to  use 
it.  In  view  of  this  work  of  God  on  his  part,  and  work  of 
man  on  his  part,  both  essential  to  salvation,  the  apostle 
says,  "  work  out  your  own  salvation  with  ^ear  and  tremb- 
ling. For  it  is  God,  that  worketh  in  you  both  to  will  and 
lo  do, .of  his  good  pleasure." — Phil.  ii.  12, 13. — This  pas- 
sage teaches,  1.  That  God  worketh  in  us  by  the  movings  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  just  according  to  his  own  pleasure.  And  it 
is  his  p^-^iisure  to  do  all  the  work  that  belongs  to  him  to  do. 
2.  That  we  have  also  a  work  to  do  with  fear  and  trembling, 
which  is  just  as  necessary  as  that  God  should  work  in  us. 
And  3.  That  we  must  work  out  our  own  salvation,  by  doing 
that,  on  our  part,  which  belongs  to  us,  or  we  cannot  be  saved, 
although  God  may  work  in  us  to  do  as  he  pleases  to  work. 
A  preceptor  agrees  to  work,  by  his  instructions,  in  the 
mind  of  his  pupil,  just  according  to  the  rules,  which  he  has 
thought  best  to  adopt  for  the  instruction  of  his  charge,  but 
tells  his  pupil,  that  he  also  must  study  and  apply  his  mind 
to  the  work.  Now  if  the  teacher  pursues  his  plan  of  in- 
struction ever  so  faithfully,  and  the  scholar  does  not  co- 
operate with  him,  all  his  labour  will  be  in  vain.  If  God's 
working  in  us  both  to  will  and  to  do,  were  sufficient  to  se- 
cure our  salvation,  the  apostle  need  not  have  urged  us  to 
work  out  our  OM'n  salvation ;  for  we  cannot  suppose  ho 
would  urge  us  to  do  that,  which  we  had  no  power  to  do ; 
or  which  v/e  could  not  possibly  neglect  doing;  or  which, 
if  neglected  on  our  part,  God  would  do  for  \ii. 

"As  thou  hast  given  him  power  over  all  flesh,  that  he 
should  give  eternal  life  to  as  many  as  thou  hast  given  him.*' 
— John  XVII.  2. 

Tlie  universalist  argues  on  this  text,  that  our  Saviour, 
in  bis  prayer  to  his  Father,  declares  that  his  Father  had 
given  him  power  over  all  flesh,  that  is,  all  mec,  for  the  ex- 
press purpose,  that  he  should  give  eternal  life  to  as  many 
as  be  had  given  hira  :  that  is,  all  flesh  or  all  men. 


ur   U^'lVER8Al.ISM  KXAMlNi^D.  14^ 

We  grant  that  all  flesh  here  may  mean  all  men.  The 
Son  alludes  to  the  great  power  and  authority  with  which 
he  was  invested  over  all  things ;  and  then  speaks  of  the  pur- 
pose for  which  he  was  invested  with  this  high  authority  ; 
that  he  might  give  eternal  life  to  (not  all  men,  nor  all  flesh, 
but  to)  as  many  as  he  had  given  him. 

The  grand  question  here  is,  what  did  our  Saviour  mean 
by  "  as  many  as  thou  hast  given  him|?" 

1.  If  he  meant  all  over  whom  he  ha^  received  any  power, 
all  flesh,  or  all  men,  then  he  would  have  been  likely  to 
have  said  "Thou  hast  given  him  power  over  all  flesh  (or 
all  men)  that  he  might  give  to  all  eternal  life."  We  might 
especially  have  expected  him  to  say  so,  if  he  had  been  a 
universalist;  and  had  known  universalism  to  be- the  most 
important  truth  to  be  known,  as  universalists  seem  now  to 
think.  2.  By  a  little  attention,  we  shall  find  our  Saviour 
to  be  speaking  of  those  in  the  last  clause  of  tTie  text  who 
had  become  his  disciples;  and  v/ere  given  to  him  in  a  high- 
ePand  more  endearing  sense,  than  barely,  that  he  exercised 
dominion  or  power  over  them.  They  were  given  to  him 
as  his  friends,  disciples,  and  co-wcirkers.  See  verse  6.  '*t 
have  manifested  thy  name  unto  the  men,  which  thoug-a- 
vest  me  out  of  the  world ;  thine  they  were,  and  thou  gavest 
them  me;  and  they  have  J:ept  thy  word.''''  Verse  9.  "I 
S)ray  for  them;  I  pray  not  for  the  world,  but  for  them  which 
hou  hast  given  me  ;  for  they  are  thine."  Verse  11.  '*  Keep 
through  thine  own  name  those,  whom  thou  hast  given  me, 
that  they  may  be  one  as  we  are."  Verse 20.  ''Neither 
pray  I  for  these  alone,  but  for  them  also  which  shajl  believe 
on  me  through  their  word."  By  examining  this  prayer, 
nothing  appears  more  obvious,  than  that  he  had  reference 
in  the  words  "as  many  as  thou  hast  given  him,"  to  these 
who  had  been  given  him  as  his  followers  and  friends,  out 
of  the  world.  Having  prayed  for  them,  he  then  varies  his 
petition  so  as  to  embrace  also  all  that  should  afterwards  be- 
litv>-.  pn<n>ecom«his  friendg.     3.  God  had  giVeu  him  this 


148  ARGUMENTS  AlfD  PRIJrciPLE« 

great  power  that  he  should  give  {zoeen  aionion)  life  eternal, 
to  such  as  believed  on  him  and  became  his  friends.  Ac- 
cordingly, we  find  him  speaking  at  other  times  of  the  "  lifii 
eternal"  which  he  gave  believers. 

•'Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  he  that  heareth  my 
word,  and  believeth  on  him  that  sent  me,  hath  {zoeen  aionion) 
life  eternal."— /oA/i  v  :  24.  See  also  John  iii :  15,  16,  36. 
— VI :  47,  50,  54. 

'•  All  that  the  father  giveth  me  shall  come  to  me,  and  him 
that  Cometh  to  me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out." — Chap,  vi : 
ver.  37.  We  have  seen  that  Christ  means  by  all  that  the 
Father  giveth  him,  all  such  as  become  his  disciples  and 
friends.  Ver. 38.  "For  I  came  down  from  heaven  not  to 
do  mine  own  will,  but  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me.'*     Ver. 

39.  "And  this  is  the  Father's  will,  which  hath  sent  me, 
that  of  all  which  he  hath  given  me  (all  that  had  become 
his  by  the  endearing  ties  of  filial  affection)  I  should  lose 
nothing,  but  should  raise  it  up  again  at  the  last  day.!'     Ver. 

40.  "  And  this  is  the  ivill  of  him  that  sent  me,  that  every  one 
which  seeth  the  son  and  believeth  on  him,  (this  does  not  im- 
ply all  men)  may  have  everlasting  life,  and  I  will  raise  him 
up  at  the  last  day." 

Universal ists  quote  passages  of  Scripture  to  prove  that 
"God  is  good  to  all";  that  his  nature  is  love;  that  he  loves 
his  enemies;  and  loves  sinners  even  when  dead  in  sins. — 
We  need  not  examine  all  such  passages,  because  we'admit 
that  all  this  is  true;  but  all  this  is  no  proof  that  all  men  will 
be  saved.  W^hatever  the  love  or  goodness  of  God  may  be, 
it  is  not  such  as  must  necessarily  make  all  men  holy  and 
happy.  If  there  was  any  thing  in  it  which  must  necessarily 
produce  that  effect,  we  should  see  that  effect  produced 
from  the  first.  If  divine  goodness  or  love  did  not  prevent 
sin  and  misery  in  this  world,  we  cannot  tell,  nor  prove,  that 
there  is  any  thing  in  it,  which  must  necessarily  prexevit  them 
in  another  world.  They  say  the  love  of  God  is  underived 
— Tcry  well.     Then  hehasalwnya  loved  all  men,  yet  that 


or  UMVKRBALISM  EXAMINED.  149 

undeiived  lotehae  suflered  them  to  be  miserabJ-j,  aud  always 
may.  If  one  leaps  a  precipice,  plunges  a  volcano,  or  ne- 
glects his  own  safety,  God's  love  does  not  interfere  to  save 
him  from  the  consequences.  This  shows  that  there  is 
nothing  in  it,  which  must  necessarily  ever  prevent  our  misery. 
T.hey  say  God's  love  is  infinite,  if  so,  it  has  nothing  in  it 
which  mws^  neccssariZ^/ prevent  our  sin  and  misery;  for  we 
are  sinful  and  miserable,  notwithstanding  the  infinity  of  di- 
vine love,  and  consequently  may  be  always  so.  If  divine 
love  be  infinite,  and  as  sin  and  misery  do  exist,  it  follows 
of  course,  that  sin  and  misery  may  exisfnotwithstanding  its 
infinity.  How  then  can  it  be  proved  from  the  infinite  love 
of  God  that  sin  and  misery  may  not  always  exist?  Divine 
love  has  always  existed,  yet  it  has  not  prevented  the  sin  and 
misery  of  man.  Let  universalists  prove,  that  divine  love 
must  necessarily  do  something  hereafter  which  it  never  has 
done  yet,  and  we  will  give  them  credit.  But  alas  for  their 
cause — they  cannot  do  it.  They  say  divine  love  is  un- 
changeable, as  well  as  universal;  and  of  course,  as  he  loves 
sinners,  while  they  are  in  their  sins,  he  must  always  love 
them.  What  then?  It  only  follows,  if  God's  love  is  un- 
changeable, that  he  always  has  loved  Us  while  in  sin  and 
misery  just  as  much  as  he  ever  will :  and  that  we  may  be 
sinful  and  miserable  notwirtistanding  divine  love.  Where 
then  is  the  proof,  that  divine  love  must  necessarily  prevent 
sin  and  misery  at  a  future  time?  Ah!  echo  answers — 
tvhere !  ' 

"Whom  the  heaven  must  receive  until  the  times  of  resti- 
tution of  all  things,  which  God  hath  spoken  by  the  raouih 
of  all  his  holy  prophets  since  the  world  began." — Ads 
hi:  21. 

This  is  anotlier  passage  appealed  to  by  the  friends  of  uni- 

versalism,  as  indubitable  proof  that  all  will  be  eaved.     But 

the  author  has  never  considered  it  a  very  conclusive  text, — 

There  ^is  no  evidence   whatever  that  "the  restitution  of 

all  things"  means  the  holiness  and  happiness  of  all  men 

13* 


150     '  AROUME^Tf  AlfD  PBI^CtPIJEC 

in  a  future  »t  ate.  We  might  as  well  say,  that  it  prorea^ 
that  all  the  nations,  kingdoms,  cities,  and  states,  that  have 
risen  and  fallen,  shall  be  restored  to  the  glory  they  once 
enjoyed  on  earth.  Nay — we  might,  as  well  say  that  the 
text  means,  that  all  animals,  the  earth  itself,  and  every 
thing  on  it,  shall  be  made  holy  and  happy  in  heaven,  as  to 
say  it  means  all  mankind  shall  be.  Those  things,  to  be 
sure,  never  were  in  the  heavenly  state,  and  their  restitution 
does  not  imply  a  restoration  to  any  thing  which  they  had 
not  enjoyed  before ;  but  mankind  never  have  enjoyed  the 
heavenly  state,  and  their  restitution  does  not  imply  any 
thing  more  than  a  restoration  to  some  state  before  enjoyed. 
The  text  does  not  of  itself  teach  that  either  men  or  beasts 
or  any  thing  else  shall  be  saved  in  the  heavenly  world.  So 
far  from  teaching  universal  salvation,  it  proves  not  the  sal- 
vation of  any  body.  Observe  the  text  does  not  speak  of 
the  restitution  of  all  things,  but  of  the  restitution  of  all 
things,  which  God  hath  spoken  by  all*  his  holy  prophets. 
Now  we  have  examined  his  holy  prophets  in  section  III  of 
this  chapter,  and  find  them  not  to  speak  of  salvation  of  all 
men  in  the  future  world;  of  course,  the  restitution  of  all 
things  which  God  hath  spoken  by  the  moukh  of  his  holy 
prophets,  is  not  the  salvation  of  all  men.  The  times  of  the 
restitution  of  all  things  which  the  prophets  spoke  of,  and  to 
which  our  text  alludes,  are  doubtless  the  successive  steps 
of  Christianity,  in  its  progress  on  earth,  restoring  a  better 
state  of  things  in  the  world,  than  existed  in  the  waste  places 
of  heathen  darkness  and  moral  death,  as  the  prophets  had 
predicted,  when  "the  light  of  zion  should  come;  and  the 
glory  of  the  Lord  should  rise  upon  her." 

It  is  strange  that  a  large  book,  designed  for  the  express 
purpose  of  teaching  universalism,  as  universalists  take  the 
Bible  to  be,  should  say  nothing  more  explicit  and  unequi- 

*Dr.  Clarke  informs  us  tliat  the  word  all  here  is  not  found  in 
many  original  copies,  and  is  probably  an  interpolation,  "which 
God  has  spoken  by  the  month  of  hie  propbetg." 


or  UlflTCKSALISM  EXAMir(£D.  151 

▼ocal  on  the  subject,  than  some  few  incidental  expressions ; 
which  might  be  supposed  possibly  to  refer  to  such  a  thing, 
if  it  were  a  plain  and  clear  doctrine  of  the  scriptures;  and 
if  the  Bible  contained  nothing  in  plain  contradiction  of  such 
a  theory.  We  have  gone  through  the  Four  Gospels,  the 
histories  of  Christ,  and  his  instructions;  and  have  found 
only  two  or  three  spots,  on  which  universalism  would  think 
of  standing  with  any  kind  of  security.  But  on  these,  we 
have  seen  it  unable  to  stand  or  rest,  without  its  trembling 
pinions  constantly  spread  upon  the  airy  vapour  of  forced 
construction,  for  support.  We  cannot  see  it  attempt  to 
light  but  once  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  and  there  it  only 
seems  to  pause  a  moment  for  breath,  whence  it  flutters  on 
and  pounces  down,  with  a  grasp  of  desperation,  upon  the 
5th  chapter  of  Romans ! 

The  passages  here  mostly  relied  on  arc  the  12th,  omit- 
ting the  13, 14,  15,  16  and  17  verses,  included  in  the  paren- 
thesis, and  taking  the  18,  19,  20,  and  21  verses.  Ver.  12, 
"Wherefore  as  by  one  man,  sin  entered  into  the  world  and 
death  by  sin ;  and  so  death  passed  upon  all  men,  for  that  all 
have  sinned."  Ver.  18.  ''Therefore  as  by  the  offence  of 
onej  judgement  came  upon  all  men  to  condemnation  ;  even 
so  by  the  righteousness  of  one,  the  free  gift  came  upon  all 
men  unto  justification  of  life."  Ver.  19.  ''For  as  by  one 
man's  disobedience,  many  were  m^de  sinners ;  so  by  the 
obedience  of  one  shall  many  be  made  righteous."  Ver. 
20.  "Mci;eover  the  law  entered  that  the  offence  might 
abound.  But  wl^ere  sin  abounded,  grace  did  much  more 
abound."  Ver.  21*  "  That  as  sin  hath  reigned  unto  death, 
even  so  might  grace  reign  through  righteousness  unto 
eternal  life  by  Jesus  Christ  our  Lordv" 

We  should  think  the  apostle  in  this  text,  believed  in  the 
universal  salvation  of  mankind ;  and  on  such  an  occasion 
referred  to  it,  in  a  kind  of  equivocal  and  incidental  manner, 
if  his  writings  generally  showed  that  to  be  his  doctrine.  So 
W€  might  find  passages  in  Clarke's  writings  or  Wesley's, 


I'/Z  ARGUMENTS  AND  PRINCIPLES 

which  we  ihcald  suppose  indicated,  in  them,  8uch  ao  opin- 
ion, did  we  not  know  by  the  general  body  of  their  works, 
that  such  was  not  their  sentiment.  To  give  our  readers  a 
clear  view  of  our  own  opinion  of  this  passage,  we  will  pre- 
sent it  in  form  of  a  paraphrase. 

Verse  12.  Wherefore,  as  by  one  man,  sin  entered  into 
the  world,  and  death  by  sin;  so  death,  or  condemnation  to 
death,  has  passed  upon  all  men :  because  all  men  are  ac- 
counted as  sinners,  having  descended  from  Adam,  their 
federal  head.  V.  18.  Therefore  as  by  one  sin,  all  men  came 
into  condemnation  o{ death;  so  also^  by  one  righteous  act, 
all  men  came  into  justijlcation  of  life,  which  is  a  resuiTec- 
tion  from  death. 

V.  19.  For  as  by  one  man's  disobedience,  the  way  was 
opened  whereby  many  became  guilty  and  sinful,  so  like- 
wise, by  the  obedience  and  righteousness  of  one,  even  Jesus 
Christ,  a  way  is  opened  up  for  many  to  become  righteous. 

V.  20.  The  law  did  not  come  for  the  purpose  that  it 
might  be  broken,  but  yet  it  was  given  so  that  it  might  be 
broken,  or  that  men  could  have  au  opportunity  to  violate 
it,  if  they  would,  nevertheless,  the  superabounding  mercy 
and  grace  of  God  is  more  than  sufficient  to  raise  those  that 
die  by  sin  to  life  again. 

V.  21.  Even  by  this  superabounding  grace  in  Jesus 
Christ,  notwithstanding  sin  has  so  far  triumphed  as  to  make 
our  death  inevitable,  we^nay  not  only  be  participants  in  the 
resurrection  of  the  dead ;  but  by  becoming  personally 
righteous,  we  may  have  an  assurance  of  eternal  life,  or  full 
enjoyment  in  his  heavenly  kingdom. 

This  we  think  is  just  about  the  apostle's  real  meaning 
when  viewed  in  the  light  of  his  writings  generally,  as  we 
should  view  all  writings.  With  regard  to  the  18th  verse, 
upon  which  universalists  mainly  rely.  Dr.  Clarke  says, 
when  it  is  literally  rendered  it  stands  thus,  {judgement  came, 
'xttd  the  free  gift  came,  being  supplied  words.)  ''  Therefore, 
as  by  one  sin,  all  men  came  into  condenvnaVmn  :  so  also,  by 


or  UNITEASALISM  EXA1II^ED.  153 

om  righteous  act,  all  men  came  unto  justijication  of  life  ;" 
which  is  more  fully  expressed  in  the  following  verse. — 
"Now,  leaving  ail  particular  creeds  out  of  the  question  ;  and 
taking  in  the  scope  of  the  apostle's  reasoning  in  this  and 
the  preceding  chapter,  is  not  the  sense  evidently  this  1 
Through  the  disobedience  of  Adam  a  sentence  of  condem- 
nation to  death,  without  any  promise  or  hope  of  a  resurrec- 
tion, passed  upon  all  men;  so  by  the  obedience  of  Christ 
unto  death,  this  one  grand  righteous  act,  the  sentence  was 
60  far  reversed,  that  death  shall  not  finally  triumph  ;  for  all 
shall  again  be  restored  to  life ;  justice  must  have  its  due  ; 
and  therefore  all  must  die.  The  mercy  of  God  in  Christ 
Jesus  shall  have  its  due  also  ;  and  therefore  all  shall  be 
put  into  a  solvable  state  here,  and  the  whole  human  race 
shall  be  raised  to  life  at  the  great  day.  Thus  both  justice 
and  mercy  are  magnified  ;  and  neither  is  exalted  at  the  ex- 
pense of  the  other." 

Dr.  Taylor  says,  that  "  when  the  apostle  speaks  of  for- 
glveness  of  sins,  simply,  he  insists  on  faith  as  the  condition  : 
but  here,  where  he  speaks  of  justification  of  life,  he  men- 
tions no  condition;  and  therefore  he  s,\x\)^oses  justification 
of  life,  the  phrase  being  understood  in  a  forensick  sense, 
to  mean  no  more  than  the  decree  or  judgement  that  deter- 
mines the  resurrection  from  the  dead.''"' 

Universalists  think  their  doctrine  supported  by  Romans 
VIII.  35.  **  Who  shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of  Christ? 
Shall  tribulation,  or  distress,  or  persecution,  or  famine,  or 
nakedness,  or  peril,  or  sword?"  And  then  in  the  three  fol- 
lowing verses,  in  which  the  Apostle  answers  the  question, 
omitting  the  36th  verse,  included  in  a  parenthesis, 

*'Nay,  in  all  these  things,  we  are  more  than  conquerors 
through  him  that  loved  us.  For  I  am  persuaded,  that 
neither  death  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor  principalities,  nor 
powers,  cor  things  present,  nor  things  to  come,  nor  height 
nor  depth,  nor  any  other  creature,  shall  be  able  to  separat* 
B«  {mm  ih«  lov«  of  God  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus."     Now  it 


154  ARG-UBIENTS  aI^D  PRINCIPLES 

is  argued,  that  nothing  can  separate  us  from  the  loveof  God^ 

and  consequently,  sin  cannot  separate  ns  from  his  love,  and 
of  course,  sin  cannot  make  us  endlessly  miserable.  If  sin 
cannot  separate  us  from  God's  love,  sin  can  make  us  unhappy 
notwithstanding  God's  love.  If  it  cannot  separate  us  from 
his  love,  then  we  never  have  been  separated  from  his  love, 
yet  we  have  bees  miseiable,  and  of  course,  we  may  be  mis- 
erable again,  and  miserable  to  all  eternity,  although  we 
were  never  separated  from  God's  love.  In  order  to  be  hap- 
py, something  more  seems  necessary  than  barely  that  we 
are  not  separated  from  God's  love,  he  must  not  be  separated 
from  our  love.  God's  love  to  us  is  sometimes  called  "the 
love  of  God,"  and  our  love  to  him  is  also  called  "  the  love 
of  God."  The  Apostle  was  not  speaking  of  God's  love  to 
all  mankind,  from  which  nothing  could  separate  them ;  nor 
of  the  love  otall  mankind  to  God,  from  which  they  could 
not  be  separated.  All  mankind  did  not  love  him — they  had 
none  of  his  love  in  their  hearts  to  be  separated  from.  "If 
any  man  love  the  w^orld,  the  love  of  the  Father  is  not  in 
him." — I.  John  ii.  15.  "But  I  know  you,  that  ye  have 
not  the  love  of  God  in  you." — John  v.  42.  Now,  men  must 
not  only  be  loved  by  God,  but  they  must  love  him  in  order 
to  be  happy  either  here  or  hereafter.  And  if  they  have  not 
the  love  of  God  in  their  hearts,  they  cannot  be  separated 
from  it,  because  they  have  never  possessed  it ;  but  as  they 
can  be  unhappy  without  it  here,  so  they  can  be  always  un- 
happy without  it.  But  the  Apostle  in  this  place  was  evi- 
dently speaking  of  those  who  loved  God ;  who  had  his  love 
shed  abroad  in  their  hearts.  And  he  was  confident,  that 
their  attachment  to  him  was  so  great,  that  none  of  their  suf- 
ferings could  ever  separate  them  from  that  love,  then  burn- 
ing in  their  souls,  which  was  stronger  than  death,  so  that  they 
were  willing  to  suffer  persecution  and  death  itself  for  the 
sake  of  hiiii  they  loved.  What  has  all  this  to  do  with  the 
salvation  of  them  that  have  none  of  the  love  of  God  in 
them,  and  that  live  and  die  ''enemie?  to  God   by  wicked 


OF  UNITEKSALIgM  EXAMINED.  155 

works  ?"  Just  nothing  at  all.  We  might  just  as  well  con- 
tend, because  God  has  made  water  enough  for  us  all  to 
drink,  that  we  may  go  into  a  barren  waste„where  there  is 
no  water  within  hundreds  of  miles  of  us,  and  that  we  can- 
not thirst  to  death  there,  because  there  is  an  abundance 
made  for  us.  The  fact  is,  we  should  choke  to  death  there 
notwithstanding  all  the  water  provided^..  And  all  the  love 
of  God  toward  us  would  never  save  us !  ;So,  though  the 
love  of  God  toward  us  were  as  an  ocean  without  shore,  or 
bottom,  and  the  provisions  of  redemption  as  vast  as  crea- 
tion, we  must  perish  without  the  love  of  God  in  our  hearts 
and  affections,  just  as  much  as  though  God  were  destitute 
of  love.  If  he  has  so  instituted  the  scheme  of  our  salva- 
tion, as  well  as  to  make  it  dependant  on  our  love  to  him, 
as  his  to  us  ;  and  if  our  love  to  him  is  and  must  be  a  free, 
spontaneous  act  of  our  own,  in  the  use  of  the  faculties 
he  has  given  us,  and  not  an  act  of  God,  as  we  shall 
show  the  scriptures  to  teach,  then  it  depends  on  our- 
selves whether  we  are  all  saved  or  not.  Not  that  v/e 
save  ourselves,  but  that  we  love  God,  or  hate  him  ourselves; 
repent,  or  not  repent  ourselves;  and  live  good  lives,  or  bad 
ones  ourselves;  and  that  God  does  not  love  God  or  hate 
God  for  us ;  repent  or  not  repent  for  us ;  or  live  a  good  life 
or  a  bad  one  for  us.  On  this  interesting  passage  of  Paul, 
Dr.  Clarke  says,  **  I  do  think  this  question  has  been  gener- 
ally misunderstood.  The  Apostle  is  referring  to  the  perse- 
cutions and  tribulations  to  which  genuine  christians  are  ex- 
posed through  their  attachment  to  Christ ;  and  the  graci- 
ous provision  God  had  made  for  their  support  and  final  sal- 
vation. As  in  this  provision,  God  had  shown  his  infinite 
love  in  providing  Jesus  Christ  as  their  sin  offering;  and 
Jesus  Christ  had  shown  his  love  in  suffering  death  upon 
the  cross  for  them;  so  here,  he  speaks  of  the  love  of  the 
followers  of  God,  to  that  Christ  who  had  nrst  loved  them. 
Therefore,  the  question  is  not.  Who  shall  separator  the 
love  of  Christ  from  us  ?  or  prevent  Christ  from  loving  us  1 


1.56  ARGDMEItra  AITD  PKI^rClPLRi 

but,  who  «hnll  separate  us  from  the  Ioto  of  Christ  ?  Wlio 
or  what  shall  remove  our  affection  from  him  ?  And  the 
questions  that  immediately  follow,  show  that  this  is  the 
sense  of  the  passage,  for  the  tribulation,  distress,  &c.  which 
he  enumerates,  are  things  by  which  they  might  be  effected  ; 
but  by  which  Christ  could  not  be  aft'ected  ;  and,  conse- 
quently, the  question  most  evidently  refers  to  their  love 
to  him  who  had  first  loved  them.  And  while  it  affords 
a  strong  presumption  of  their  perseverance  ;  furnishes 
a  most  powerful  argument  against  apostacy.  And  that 
this  is  the  meaning,  is  farther  evident  from  the  37th  verse. 
Who  shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of  Christ  ?  Tribula- 
tion? or  distress?  or  persecution?  or  famine?  or  naked- 
ness ?  or  peril  ?  or  sicord  ?  Nay :  for  in  all  these  things 
we  are  more  than  conquorers,  through  him  that  loved  us.-— 
His  love  in  us^  keeps  us  in  all  these  things  steadily  at- 
tached to  him,  so  that  they  cannot  separate,  us  from  him.** 
— [See  Clarke's  Com.  on  the  place.] 

We  have  already  controverted  the  idea  that  all  things 
shall  be  overruled  for  good  to  all  men,  whether  they  love 
God  and  obey  him  or  not ;  but  for  the  consolation  of  the 
christian  we  may  quote  a  passage  from  Romans  viii.  28  : 
"  And  we  know  that  all  things  work  together  for  good  to 
them  that  love  God  :  to  them  who  are  the  called  according 
to  his  purpose."  Now  if  all  things  would  work  together 
for  the  good  of  all  men,  why  did  the  apostle  tell  us  such 
would  be  the  case  with  them  that  love  God  ?  Why  did  he 
not  say  it  would  be  so  with  all  men  ?  II.  Cor.  iv.  17. 
'*  For  our  light  affliction,  which  is  but  for  a  moment,  work- 
eth  for  us  a  far  more  exeeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory." 
Such  was  the  comfort  of  this  good  and  great  man,  in  the 
midst  of  those  Xrs'mg  scenes  and  conflicts,  which  he  endur- 
ed for  the  sake  of  the  glorious  crown  he  expected,  as  the 
reward  of  his  faithfulness  and  perseverance  in  *' fighting 
the  good  fight,  and  finishing  his  course,"  and  all  faithful 
christians  maj  expect  the  chasteoiogs  of  God  are  for  thehr 


or  UNIVERSAMSM  r.XAMINKD.  J  .'JV 

gofld — that  they  may  "yield  the  peaceable  fruits  of  ri?h- 
teouauess  to  them  which  are  exercised  thereby." 

As  we  have  objected  to  the  idea  that  God  has  foreor- 
dained and  fixed  all  the  acts  of  men,  it  may  he  proper  that 
we  remark  farther  on  it  in  this  place,  and  give  some  atten- 
tion to  the  scriptures  on  this  point.  We  are  apt  to  suppose 
God  must  have  determined  that  all  things  should  be  as 
they  are,  from  our  views  of  his  attributes.  But  we  cannot 
comprehend  fully  a  single  one  of  his  attributes.  Could 
we  fully  comprehend  one  of  the  attributes  of  an  infinite 
and  incomprehensible  God,  we  might  each  and  all  of  them ; 
^nd  then  we  might  comprehend  infinity  !  But  "'who,  by 
searching,  can  find  out  God  ?"  His  essence  is  a  "mighty 
deep."  His  nature  is  incomprehensible  to  all  lower  in- 
telligences. Infinity  never  can  be  fully  comprehended  by 
finite  beings.  It  is  a  simple  incomprehensible  unity,  not 
divided  into  attributes  or  parts.  But  in  the  language  of 
accommodation,  we  speak  of  him  as  possessing  a  variety  of 
attributes,  as  we  also  do  of  his  affections,  passions,  desires, 
volitions,  determinations,  &c.  This  language  is  often 
used  with  great  propriety  in  the  scriptures,  as  best  calcu- 
lated to  make  the  most  perfect  impressions  on  our  minds 
in  relation  to  God,  that  the  subject  admits  of.  But  we 
should  be  very  careful,  that  we  do  not  attach  more  literal 
meaning  to  this  language  of  accommodation,  than  was  in- 
tended ;  and  draw  inferences  from  it,  which  imply  a  more 
perfect  comprehension  of  the  Deity,  than  can  be  possibly 
grasped  by  a  finite  mind.  If  it  be  asked,  why  descriptions 
of  him  are  not  given  in  some  other  language,  besides  that 
of  accommodation  and  adaptation  to  our  finite  minds;  our 
answer  is,  that  there  was  no  such  language ;  and  we  could 
not  understand  it  if  there  were.  As  we  cannot  possibly 
grasp  any  perfect  conceptions  of  the  Supreme  Being,  so 
no  language  could  reveal  to  us  his  incomprehensible  es- 
sence, unless  it  could  first  make  %i3  infinite,  which  is  im- 
possible.    And  although  we  cannot  literally  and  philoso- 

14 


158  ARflUMENTS  AND  PRINCIPLES 

phically  speak  of  parts,  or  distinct  attributes,  of  the  invisi- 
ble and  infinite  Unity  ;  yet,  as  in  our  imperfect  modes  of 
thinking,  we  are  obliged  to  conceive  of  him  as  having  vari- 
ety of  attributes  perfectly  adapted  to  our  comprehension. 
^Ke  should  remember,  that,  as  we  cannot  perfectly  compre- 
hend his  essence,  so  we  cannot  perfectly  comprehend  or 
understand  any  single  attribute  or  quality  that  belongs  to 
him.  If  we  may  use  again  the  language  of  accommoda- 
tion, there  is  no  part  of  God  that  we  can  understand  any 
more  clearly  or  perfectly,  than  we  can  his.  whole  essence. 
As,  therefore,  we  cannot  fully  comprehend  any  thing  that 
belongs  to  God  ;  we  cannot  know,  whether  one  thing  or 
another,  ynust  be  the  result  of  his  attributes,  only  as  the 
scriptures  clearly  teach  us.  Whether  the  attributes  of 
God  are  such,  that  he  must  have  determined,  from  all  eter- 
nity, every  act  of  finite  agents,  or  not,  we  cannot  know  and 
do  not  know.  And  none  but  an  infinite  being  ever  can 
know  this.  We  might  be  informed  by  a  revelation  that 
the  one  or  the  other  was  the  truth  ;  but  we  cannot  know 
what  his  attributes  must  produce,  only  as  revelation  and 
nature  teach  us  what  they  do  and  will  produce.  If  the 
scriptures  plainly  and  clearly  teach,  that  God  has  deter- 
mined every  human  act,  then  we  must  bow  to  it ;  other- 
wise we  know  nothing  about  it.  Now,  does  not  every  com- 
mand and  requisition  in  the  Bible  imply,  that  our  actions 
depend  on  our  will  so  as  to  be  our  acts,  and  not  on  God's 
will  so  as  to  be  his  acts  !  Do  not  all  the  promises  of  re- 
ward, and  all  the  ihreatenings  of  punishment  imply  the 
same?  These  commands,  requisitions,  promises,  and 
threatenings  are  every  where  presented  in  the  scriptures. 
On  the  other  hand  the  Bible  no  where  plainly  says,  that 
God  has  predetermined  every  human  act ;  but  such  an  in- 
ference has  been  drawn  from  some  equivocal  expressions, 
which  do  not  necessarily  teach  that  sentiment.  But  the 
sentiment  has  been  deduced  more  from  what  finite  beings 
supposed  they  comprehended  of  aa  infinite  God.     It  may 


or  UNIVERSALISM  EXAMIJ^EO.  159 

be  proved  from  scripture  that  God  predetermined  some  acts 
of  some  individuals  ;  but  this  would  not  prove  that  he  had 
predetermined  all  the  acts  of  all  individuals.  One  pas- 
sage often  quoted  to  prove  God  the  indirect  author  of  all 
sin,  is  Rom.  ix.  18  :  *'  Therefore  has  he  mercy  on  whom 
he  will  have  mercy,  and  whom  he  will  he  hardeneth,"  On 
the  passage,  Clarke  says, 

"  This  is  the  apostle's  conclusion,  from  the  facts  already 
laid  down  ;  that  God  according  to  his  own  will  and  wisdom, 
in  perfect  righteousness  bestows  mercy  ;  that  is  to  say,  his 
blessings  upon  one  part  of  mankind,  (the  Jews  of  old,  and 
the  Gentiles  of  the  present  time,)  while  he  suffers  another 
part,  (the  Egyptians  of  old,  and  the  Jews  of  the  present 
day,)  to  go  on  in  the  abuse  of  his  goodness  and  forbear- 
ance, hardening  themselves  in  sin,  till  he  brings  upon  them 
a  most  just  and  exemplary  punishment." 

We  think  this  great  commentator  is  right  here — that  the 
apostle  only  meant  that  God  "  gave  them  up  to  a  reprobate 
mind,"  and  suffered  them  to  indulge  in  sin,  and  thus  by 
habit  harden  themselves  in  it.  Were  we  to  say,  God 
liardens  people's  hearts  that  they  may  sin  ;  and  then  com- 
mands them  not  to  do  it ; — that  he  predetermines  that 
they  shall  sin,  and  then  forbids  it ;  we  should/ear  we  were 
giving  a  character  of  duplicity  and  hypocrisy  to  God,  We 
know  the  doctrine  of  predestination  is  the  very  father  and 
mother  of  universalism  ;  and  we  are  inclined  to  believe  it 
the  grand  parent  of  Deism,  Materiahsm,  and  Atheism,  if 
not  a  large  brood  of  other  children,  equally  haggard  and 
ghastly. 

Another  passage  quoted  in  proof  is  Eph.  i.  11.:  "In 
whom  also  we  have  obtained  an  inheritance,  being  predes- 
tinated according  to  the  purpose  of  him  who  worketh  all 
things  after  the  counsel  of  his  own  will.'' 

The  general  voice  of  scripture  shows  that  the  purpose  of 
God  is,  that  all,  who  become  true  and  faithful  believers, 
shall  obtain  an  inheritance  in  Ch.nst.     The  apostle  and  his 


160  ARGUMENTS  AND  PRINCIPLES 

brethren  were  such  believers,  therefore,  they  were  such  as 
God  bad  predestinated  according  to  his  purpose  or  plan  to 
save.  He  had  predetermined  according  to  his  plan  to  save 
all  such  ;  of  course  these  believers  were  such  as  he  had 
predetermined  to  save.  He  worketh  all  things  after  the 
coiinsel  of  his  own  will,  undoubtedly,  which  he  worketh 
at  all.  To  suppose  he  worketh  that,  after  the  counsel  of 
his  own  will,  which  he  docs  not  work  at  all  is  nonsense. 
When  a  man  murders  hrs  neighbour,  the  act  is  either  the 
man's  act  or  God's.  If  it  be  God's  act,  then  it  is  not  the 
man's.  If  it  be  the  man's  act,  then  it  is  not  God's  act ; 
and  God  did  not  work  it  after  the  counsel  of  his  own  will, 
because  he  did  not  work  it  at  all.  Man  has  derived  his 
being  and  all  his  powers  from  God  ;  yet  such  powers  as  he 
lias  are  his  own,  and  subject  to  his  Own  will,  as  long  as  he 
retains  them,  as  much  as  Goil's  powers  are  subject  to  hi» 
will.  God's  powers. are  no  more  identined  with  man's 
powers,  so  that  his  acts  are  man's  acts,  and  man's  acts  are 
God's  acts,  than  God  himself  is  identified  with  man,  so 
that  God  is  man,  and  man  is  God.  "jThe  fact  is,  they  are 
two  distinct  beings  ;  and  have  two  distinct  indi\idual  pow- 
ers, though  the  one  be  derived  from  the  other.  Man  act» 
in  his  own  sphere  of  power,  as  freely  and  as  independently 
80  far  as  his  power  goes,  as  we  can  conceive  the  Deity  to  act 
in  his  sphere  of  power.  If  the  scriptures  teach  that  God 
had  foreordained  any  particular  act  or  acts,  then  we  would 
believe  he  had  foreordained  such  particular  act  or  acts ;  but 
we  would  not  believe  he  had  foreordained  that,  which  he  has 
not  foreordained  but  forbidden.  His  having  foreordained 
fome  things,  no  more  proves  that  he  has  foreordained  crer^ 
thing  ;  than  our  having  written  some  books,  proves  that  we 
have  \vritten  all  books.  He  seems  to  have  ordained  that 
man  should  possess  powers  of  spontaneeus  action  and  free 
volition  of  his  own;  and  that  his  happiness  or  misery  should 
depend  upon  his  own  voluntary  use  of  such  powers.  He 
has  power  to  control  those  powers  by  a  spscial   interposi.-. 


or  UNm:RfiALiSM  KXAMINED,  161 

tion  of  his  own  superiour  energy  ;  but  does  not  so  interpose 
his  special  energy,  except  in  particular  cases,  where  par- 
ticular purposes  are  to  be  accomplished  independent  of  hu- 
man volitions.  For  instance,  God  determined  Paul  should 
be  for  salvation  to  the  Gentiles,  therefore,  he  would  not 
suffer  the  Jews  to  destroy  his  life,  though  they  determin- 
ed to  dc  it.  And  God  elected  and  determined  that  Paul 
and  other  individuals,  should  be  the  "  first  fruits  of  the 
spirit,"  and  act  as  the  primitive  instruments  in  turning 
mankind  to  Christ.  But  he  had  determined  to  exert  his 
invisible  and  superiour  energy  over  their  volitions  only  so 
far  as  the  accomplishment  of  particular  objects  required. 
In  this  manner  he  sometimes  seems  to  exert  a  controlling 
and  efficent  energy  ovej'  the  volitions  of  men  ;  but  he  gen- 
erally leaves  the  volitions  oF  men  free,  independent  and  un- 
controlled.* He  sometimes  exerts  a  special  agency  in 
miracles  for  the  accomplishment  of  definite  objects;  but, 
generally,  he  suffers  things  to  be  effected  by  the  ordinary 
action  of  those  things  which  he  has  made.  A*.d  one  of 
Che  things  he  has  made,  is,  a  free,  spontaneous  power  of 
action,  under  the  control  of  a  ivill,  which  is,  in  its  own 
sphere,  perfectly  independent  of  him,  and  not  controlled 
by  him,  although  he  has  power  to  control  it.  So  that  this 
free  will  may  preponderate  either  the  one  way  or  the  other, 
as  independently  of  the  Divine  control  as  if  God  did  not  ex- 
ist. We  know  what  may  be  said  about  the  government  of 
motives.  But  there  is  no  argument  on  the  subject  of  mo- 
tives, designed  to  show  the  necessity  of  human  volition, 
which  would  not  just  as  clearly  prove  the  necessity  of  the 
Divine  volitions.  If  man  can  be  proved  thus  to  act  as  he  is 
acted  upon,  so  that  all  his  actions  are  necessary  and  una- 
voidable, then  he  is  proved  to  possess  no  power  only  to  be 
moved  as  some  other  power  moves  him,  which  is  just  no 
power  at  all.     And  by  the  very  same  arguments,  it  might 

"By  leaving  them  independent,  we  do  not  mean  that  he  cannot 
control  them  ;  but  that  he  does  not  do  it. 


be  proved  equally  strong,  that  the  Deity  must  be  subject  t« 
the  rafluence  of  motive:?,  so  that  ail  his  volitions  are  neces- 
sary and  unavoidable  ;  and  that  He,  therefore,  possesses 
no  power  at  all,  only  to  move  as  some  other  power  move* 
him  I  This  is  the  doctrine  of  necessity — alias  fatality — 
alias  atheism.  Ail  this  kiod  of  argument  is  falacious,  and 
proves  nothing  ;  or  it  proves  that  no  intelligent  being  pos- 
sesses any  power  at  all ;  and  that  one  thing  is  neeessarily 
moved  by  its  antecedent,  which,  in  its  turn,  is  moved  in 
the  same  way;  so  that  the  whole  system  of  things  is  but 
a  chain  of  necessary  motion  ;  and  that  all  our  notions  of 
power,  associated  with  life  and  intelligence,  are  but  dreamy 
visions  I  It  is  truly  a  deep  subject ;  and  for  that  very  rea- 
son men  are  exposed  to  reason  absurdly  on  it.  No  doubt, 
the  difficulty  and  the  errour  lay  in  the  fact  that  men  rea- 
son on  mbid  just  as  tht^  would  on  matter.  As  one  of 
the  properties  essential  to  matter,  is  ifs  inertum,  or  abso- 
lute want  of  power  itself  to  change  its  position;  so  the 
9Ame  imr^um,  or  entire  want  of  power  is  attributed  to  mind, 
by  that  propensity  which  we  have,  to  coDteraplate  every  thing 
as  material.  And  the  foundation  of  this  propensity,  is  the 
fact,  that  our  ideas  come  through  the  medium  of  the  sen- 
ses ;  and  are  originated  generally  by  the  impression  of  ma- 
terial objects.  Had  we  no  eyes,  we  should  never  be  able 
to  have  any  correct  notions  of  beauty  or  light ;  but  on  hear- 
ing these  things  spoken  of,  we  should  suppose  they  were 
somethiug  like  odour,  or  sound,  or  taste,  or  figure,  hardmss, 
or  tveight,  or  something,  that  w^s  adapted  to  some  of  the 
other  organs  of  secse.  So,  in  reasoning  on  the  proper- 
ties and  attributes  of  mind,  we  are  apt  to  materialize  it,  for 
the  want  of  an  adequate  means  of  information  on  the  sub- 
ject. When  man  comes  to  emerge  from  this  material  state, 
he  may  be  enabled  more  correctly  to  contemplate  the  prop- 
erties and  essence  of  spirit,  which  we  know  to  exist,  though 
we  may  not  clearly  comprehend  it. 

But  to  return  to  the  consideration  of  more  direct  passa- 


or  UNIVERSALIfiM  EXAMINED.  163 

ges,  we  notice  Rora.  xi.  25  :  "  For  I  would  not,  brethren, 
that  ye  should  be  ignorant  of  this  mystery,  iest  ye  should 
be  wise  in  your  own  conceits  ;  that  bhndoess  in  part  is 
happened  to  Israel,  until  the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles  be 
come  in."  Verse  26.  •'  And  so  all  Israel  shall  be  sarcd." 
That  the  apostle  in  this  text  did  not  mean  to  teach  uni- 
versal salvation,  we  conclude  from  the  following  consider- 
ations. 

1.  Verse  14.  "  If  by  any  ratans  I  may  provoke  to  emu- 
lation them  which  are  my  flesh,  and  might  save  same  of 
thera." 

Now  we  cannot  believe  the  apostle  would  speak  in  this 
form  about  saving  some  of  them — his  countrymen,  if  he 
were  intending  to  teach,  that  they  would  certainly  all  be 
saved.  "  //"%  <^^2/  weans,"  implies,  that  he  did  not  con- 
sider it  certain  and  fixed,  that  they  would  all  be  saved,  whe- 
ther he  provoked  them  to  emulation  or  not.  Should  we 
see  a  company  out  in  a  winter's  storm  ;  see  them  becom- 
ing stupid  and  inactive  with  the  cold ;  and  should  say, 
**  we  will  go  and  provoke  them  to  action  and  exercise,  if  we 
can  by  any  means,  that  we  may  save  some  of  them,"  would 
It  not  imply  a  believe  in  us  that  they  were  in  danger  of  not 
being  saved  ;  and  that  we  feared  some  of  them  would  be 
lost? 

2.  Many  passages  in  the  apostle's  writings  show  plainly, 
that  he  was  not  writing  to  teach  that  all  men  will  certainly 
be  saved.  This  will  appear  in  a  subsequent  section.  Noth- 
ing is  fairer  than  to  take  the  general  drift  of  an  author's 
writings,  to  determine  whether  he  meant  to  teaeh  one 
sentiment  or  another,  in  an  ambiguous  expression. — 
For  instance,  all  writers  understand  Origen  of  the  third 
century  to  have  been  a  restorationist.  Because  this  doc- 
trine seems  not  to  be  incidentally  expressed,  jn  a  few  pas- 
sages, which  after  all  will  admit  of  some  other  interpreta- 
tion ;  but  he  says  nothing  inconsistent  with  such  ajo-  opin- 
ion ;  and  the  general  drift  of  his  reasoning  and  his  remarks 


1G4  ARGUMEJSTS  AND  PRINCIPLES 

show  that  such  was  his  opinion.  But  this  is  not  the  case 
with  Paul,  as  will  appear  in  the  sequel.  Besides,  but  very 
few  writers,  in  comparison,  have  understood  his  writings  to 
teach  cmiversalism.  With  regard  to  "  the  fulness  of  the 
Gentiles  coming  in,^^  the  learned  Dr.  Clarke  is  undoubt- 
edly correct ;  that  it  signifies,  and  might  be  rendered,  "a 
great  multitude  in  all  nations,''  and  has  reference  to  the  final 
completion  or  great  extent  of  the  church  on  earth. 

"  The  apostle,  therefore,  ieems  to  give  this  sense  of  tlj 
mystery,  that  the  Jews  will  continue  in  a  state  of  blindness, 
till  such  a  time  as  a  multitude  of  nations  or  Gentiles,  shall 
be  converted  to  the  christian  faith  ;  and  the  Jen's,  hearing 
of  this,  shall  be  excited,  by  a  spirit  of  emulation,  to  exam- 
ine a;id  acknowledge  the  validity  of  the  proofs  of  Christian- 
ity, and  embrace  the  faith  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

"  And  so  all  Israel  shall  be  saved,''  undoubtedly  implies, 
that  the  whole  nation  cf  the  Jews,  as  a  hody^  at  that  time 
shall  be  converted  to  the  christian  faith.  The  above  con- 
struction will  appear  obvious  from  the  subject  matter  of  the 
apostle's  discourse.  He  was  evidently  reasoning  on  the 
blindness  of  the  Jews,  as  a  people,  in  relation  to  Christ ;  the 
christian  privileges  that  accrue  to  the  Gentiles  in  conse- 
quence of  theJews  rejecting  Christ,  thus  fulfilling  their 
own  prophesies  in  the  eyes  of  the  Gentiles;  their  final 
conversion  C5  a  nation,  to  the  christian  faith,  through  the 
final  spread  and  glorious  triumphs  of  divine  truth  among 
the  Gentile  nations.  Give  the  passage  this  construction, 
which  is  reasonable,  and  it  accords  with  its  context,  and 
with  the  scriptures  generally,  while  the  other  construction 
seems  inconsistent  with  both. 

We  now  come  to  consider  the  fifteenth  chapter  of  first 
Corinthians.  This  chapter  has  been  supposed  by  univer- 
salists'to  give  clear  and  indisputable  evidence  of  universal 
salvation.  We  have  attentively  examined  it,  we  think, 
with  an  impartial  desire,  to  know  whether  it  did  teach  uni- 
yersalism  or  not.     None  can  dispute  that  it  teaches  the  d^oc- 


OF   UMVERSALISM  EXAMIKKD.  1^5 

trine  of  a  resunection  of  the  dead.  But  who  will  say  it 
teaches  universal  salvation  as  indisputable  as  it  does  the  re- 
surrection ?  The  doctrine  of  a  resurrection  of  the  dead  was 
often  disputed,  in  the  days  of  our  Lord  and  in  those  of  the 
apostles.  This  was  the  case,  at  Corinth ;  and  it  is  thought^ 
Paul  wrote  this  part  of  the  epistle  with  particular  reference 
to  that  circumstance. — [See  verse  12.] — As  '*  the  hope  cf 
the  resurrectionl'  was  rejected  bj  some  at  Corinth,  he  la- 
boured in  this  chapter  to  prove  that  truth  to  them.  And 
it  is  conceived,  that,  in  discoursing  on  the  resurrection  of 
the  dead,  he  used  expressions,  which  universaii^ts  now  in- 
terpret to  mean  universal  salvation.  Bat  had  this  great 
apostle  intended  and  designed,  not  only  to  prove  the  resur- 
rection of  thedead,  but  also  universal  salvation,  we  think  he 
would' have  laboured  as  much  and  as  plainly  on  this  point 
as  on  the  other.  The  Sadducees  amoog  the  Jews  denied 
all  future  existence.  So  did  many  among  the  Gentiles  ; 
hence  Christ  and  the  apostles  declared  the  resurrection 
positively,  and  so  clearly  that  none  can  dispute  their  teach- 
ing a  resurrection.  The  religious  people  among  the  Jews, 
in  the  days  of  Christ  and  the  apostles,  believed  in  future 
and  endless  rewards  and  punishments,  and  denied  univcr>' 
sal  salvation.  So  did  the  Gentiles  ;  and  this  doctrise  was 
a  prominent  feature  in  their  theo-iogy.  If  Christ  and  the 
apostles  did  not  assent  to  it,  but  considered  it  a  great  er- 
rour  ;  and  wished  to  teach  universalism  ;  they  would  have 
spoken  of  those  who  denied  universal  salvation  ;  and  would 
have  reprobatecl  their  errour,  as  universalists  now  do  ;  and 
they  would  have  taught  universal  sa!\ation  as  a  distinct 
point  in  the  christian  faith,  with  the  same  certainty  and 
uistiuctnes,  that  they  did  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection. 
We  have  come  to  the  conclusion,  that  Paul  wrote  this 
chapter  to  sustain  and  vindicate  the  doctrine  of  the  resur- 
rection of  all  men  ;  but  not  with  any  reference  to  the  ques- 
tion, whether  all  would  then  be  saved  or  not.  And  indeed 
there  w^s  no  occasion  for  him  to  allude  to  that  point ;  b«- 


166  ARGUMBJJTS  A>D  PRIWCIPLES 

cause  all,  (as  far  as  \re  can  learn  any  thing  about  it)  who 
believed  in  a  resurrection  otthe  dead,  believed  in  the  eter- 
nal happinees  of  the  good,  and  the  eternal  misery  of  the 
wicked.  He  seems  here  to  have  considered  it  sufficient  to 
discuss  the  great  question  in  dispute,  between  christians  and 
skepticks  ;  without  having  any  particular  reference  to  the 
happiness  or  misery  of  the  future  state  ;  as  that  was  a  sub- 
ject not  agitated  among  those  who  admitted  any.  Though 
this  seems  to  be  the  general  course  of  his  reasonings  through 
the  chapter  ;  there  is  no  doubt,  but  he  adverts,  in  a  few  ex- 
pressions, to  the  glory  and  blessedness  of  the  future  state  ; 
without  referring  to  the  future  condition  of  any  but  the  good. 
Ashe  was  addressing  christians,  we  might  suppose  him  to 
have  made  allusions  to  the  glorious  prospects  befoie  them, 
without  ever  expecting,  that  the  wicked  would  lay  hold 
of  his  remarks,  as  a  foundation  upon  which  to  build  up  a 
new  theory  favourable  to  themselves,  which  had  never 
been  believed  in  the  world  before.  He  attempts  here  to 
explain  something  of  the  nature  of  the  resurrection,  so  far 
as  the  change  from  mortality  to  immortality  is  concerned. 
And  intimates  that  it  will  be,  something  like  the  seed  sown 
in  the  gr»und,  which  of  itself  decays,  or  undergoes  .de- 
composition, but  from  which  starts  forth  a  germ,  that  pro- 
duces many  grains,  or  much  more  in  quantity  than  that 
which  was  sown.  And  although  he  intimates  that  the 
«ame  literal  flesh  sown  will  not  come  forth  ;  yet  something 
far  more  noble  and  glorious  will  come  out  of  it,  retaining 
its  individual  identity  ;  and  possessed  of  far  more  expanded, 
vigorous,  and  enduring  faculties. 

The  first  text  in  the  chapter,  supposed  to  teach  univer- 
salism,  is,  "  for  as  in  Adam  all  die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall 
all  be  made  alive." — Verse  22. 

A  moment's  attention  to  this  text,  compared  with  the 
subject  matter  of  the  apostle's  discourse,  and  especially 
with  the  verse  preceding  if,  is  sufficient  to  show,  that  its 
simple  and  plain  import  is,  that  as  we  all  die  or  fall  into  t! 


OF  UNIVERSALISM  EXAMINED.  167 

solution,  through  or  in  that  nature  which  we  derive  from 
Adam ;  so,  through  and  in  the  power  of  Christ,  and  in  pur- 
suance of  that  plan  revealed  and  vindicated  by  his  death 
and  resurrection,  we  shall  all  become  alive  again.  But 
there  is  no  intimation,  that  we  shall  all  be  happy,  when  we 
are  thus  made  alive.  And  indeed,  the  ap»stle  seems  to 
have  had  no  particular  reference  to  the  future  condition  of 
all,  only  that  they  should  be  alive. 

"  Then  cometh  the  end,  when  he  shall  have  delivered 
up  the  kingdom  to  God,  even  the  Father  ;  when  he  shall 
have  put  down  all  rule,  and  all  authority  and  power." — 
Verse  24. 

This  is  supposed  to  mean  the  salvation  of  all  men  ;  but 
we  can  see  no  such  intimation  in  it.  It  seems  simply  to 
imply,  that  at  that  time,  all  human  government,  dominion, 
rule,  authority,  and  civil  power,  shall  be  put  down.  What 
all  that  has  to  do  with  the  future  salvation  and  happiness 
of  all  men,  we  have  not  acumen  enough  to  discover.  Sure- 
ly all  human  government,  and  all  human  rule,  and  author- 
ity might  be  put  down,  and  totally  destroyed  and  annihila- 
ted, without  ail  men  being  happy.  Nay  all  this  might  take 
place,  and  yet  all  men  might  be  miserable. 

"  For  he  must  reign  till  he  hath  put  all  enemies  under 
his  feet."— Verse  25. 

It  cannot  be  supposed,  that  the  phrase  *'put  all  enemies 
under  his  feet,"  signifies  that  he  is  to  bless  all  his  enemies 
with  salvation  and  bliss.  The  expression  generally  im- 
plies the  subjection  and  unhappy  degradation  into  which 
a  conquorer  brings  his  subjugated  foes.  The  apostle  al- 
ludes to  an  expression  in  Psalms,  "  The  Lord  said  unto 
my  Lord,  sit  thou  on  my  right  hand,  till  I  make  thine  ene- 
mies thy  footstool."  This  also  implies  a  loss  of  power, 
vassalage  and  degradation.  And  there  is  no  rational  doubt, 
they  are  designed  to  show,  that  those  governments  and 
men,  that  so  cruelly  opposed  the  spread  of  Christ's  king- 
cfom,  and  persecuted  his  followers,  should  be  disarmed,  and 


I(j8  ARfclL!MEi>'i«  AND  PHINCIPI.LS 

prostrated  lu  the  dust ;  an;^  .«ihould  no  longer  have  power 
to  impede  the  progress  and  glory  of  that  cause  for  which 
thousands  laboured  and  died.  "  And  it  came  to  pass, 
when  they  brought  out  thos6  kings  unto  Joshua,  that  Josh- 
ua called  for  all  the  men  of  Israel  and  said  unto  the  cap- 
tains of  the  men  of  war  which  went  with  him ;  come  near, 
put  your  feet  upon  the  necks  of  these  kings.  And  they 
came  near,  and  put  their  feet  upon  the  necks  of  them." — 
Josh.  X.  24. — This  was  the  way  subdued  and  conquered 
foes  were  made  to  feel  their  degradation  among  the  an- 
cients. The  f6et  of  the  conqueror  were  placed  on  their 
necks  as  a  mark  of  triumph  on  the  one  hand,  and  abasement 
and  wretchedness  on  the  other.  And  for  any  to  suppose 
the  apostle  used  such  imagery,  to  denote  the  exaltation 
and  glory  of  all  men,  is  to  suppose  he  used  it  in  a  sense 
the  very  reverse  of  its  common  use  and  implication.  All, 
at  that  time,  will  he  so  completely  subdued,  that  they  can- 
not hurt  or  destroy  or  scourge  the  Saviour  or  his  follow- 
ers. Their  successes  and  triumphs  will  be  no  more.  But 
that  they  will  be  holy  and  happy  is  not  at  all  implied  in  the 
language. 

•'  The  last  enemy  that  shall  be  destroyed  is  death." — 
Verse  26. 

All  his  other  enemies  that  oppose  his  reign  in  the  world, 
are  first  to  be  destroyed,  or  disarmed,  cast  down,  and  im- 
prisoned, or  secured  in  chains  like  a  fallen  and  conquered 
enemy  ;  then  death  (that  is,  natural  death)  is  to»be  destroy- 
ed, not  solely  so  that  there  shallno  more  die  ;  but  so  coi 
pletely  baffled,  that  its  rictims,  who  have  been  enthralled  iu 
its  iron  grasp,  shall  rise  from  the  dead. 

It  is  contended,  that  this   death,  being  the  last  enemy, 
shows  that  there  can  be  no  enemy  r.fter  its  destruction.  ; 
That  enemy — natural  death,  will  not  exist  afterwards.     But  ' 
a  "  seconfl  death"  may  exist  after  the  first  is  destroyed. — 
And  this  second  death  may  not  be  Christ's  enemy,  but  the  , 
najnister  of  his  justice.     The  other  enemies  we  have  seen, 


or   I  .N  JVKnSAlJS.M    EXAW1-NEI>. 


HJ.O 


veferred  to  above,  are  not  to  be  literally  destroyed,  but  sub- 
dued and  cast  down,  and  rendered  in  a  manner  powerless. 
'*  And  when  all  things  shall  be  subdued  unto  him,  then 
shall  the  Son  also  himself  be  subject  unto  him  that  put  all 
things  under  him,  that  God  may  be  all  in  all." — Verse  28. 
This  implies,  that  when  all  this  Avork  above  explained 
shall  be  accomplished  by  Jesus  Christ ;  then  his  mediato- 
rial reign  shall  end.  His  authority  as  mediator  shall  cease. 
He  shall  no  longer  reign  as  Redeemer.  It  will  be  no  lon- 
ger of  any  avail  to  the  wicked  that  he  "  gave  himself  a  ran- 
som for  all,"  because  those,  who  have  not  then  embraced 
him  as  their  Saviour,  will  have  no  further  opportunity. — 
The  reign  of  redemption  and  grace  will  close.  His  pard- 
oning authority  will  be  surrendered  up  ;  and  all  authority 
will  be  exercised  by  the  supreme  Jehovah,  as  legislator  and 
judge  of  the  world.  God,  not  as  mediator,  but  as  a  righte- 
ous judge,  shall  be  *'  all  in  all,"  in  authority  and  power 
over  all  things. 

"  So  also  is  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  It  is  sown  in 
corruption,  it  is  raised  in  incorruption." — Verse  42. 

Meaning  simply  that  men  are  sown,  or  lie  down  in  death, 
mortal  and  corruptible  ;  but  will  rise  immortal  and  incor- 
ruptible, so  as  never  to  be  capable  of  a  second  dissolution. 

"  It  is  sown  in  dishonour;  it  is  raised  in  glory :  it  is 
sown  in  weakness  ;  it  is  raised  in  power." — Verse  43. 

The  dishonour  referred  to  is  the  mortal  and  corruptible 
constitution,  in  which  we  die.  The  glory  referred  to,  is 
the  spiritual  and  immortal  constitution  in  which  we  shall 
rise,  with  immortal  and  ever  enduving  f\iculties  for  either 
happiness  or  misery. 

"  As  we  have  borne  the  image  of  the  earthy,  we  shall 
also  bear  the  image  of  the  heavenly." — Verse  49. 

This  seems  to  be  the  apostle's  argument ;  that  as  we 
have  borne  the  image  of  an  animal  being,  &o  as  to  be.  mor- 
tal and  die  ;  we  shall  also  bear  the  image  of  a  heavenly  be- 
ing, so  as  to  be  immortal,  and  not  subject  to  dissolution. 

X5 


170  ARGUMENTS  AND  PRI^JCIPLES 

"  We  shall  not  all  sleep,  but  we  ahall  ail  be  changed." — 
V^erse51. 

This  change  evidently  means  a  change  of  such  as  shall 
!)o  alive,  from  moitalify  tea  state  of  immortality  ;  and  that 
all  are  to  be  raised  incorruptible,  signifies  nothing  more, 
than  that  all  are  to  be  immortal  and  indissoluble. 

To  show  that  the  apostle  did  not  mean  to  teach  the  doc- 
trine, that  there  will  be  no  misery  after  the  resurrection, 
we  will  subjoin  the  following  considerations,  in  addition  to 
those  already  given.  1.  The  apostle  speaks  iu  other  pla- 
ces in  such  manner  as  clearly  to  intimate,  that  there  will  be 
a  distinction  in  the  resurrection  between  the  righteous  and 
the  wicked. — (Seel.  Thes.  iv.  13 — 17  ;)  also  compare  these 
verses  attentively  with  II.  Thes.  i.  7 — 10:  "and  to  yon 
who  are  troubled,  rest  with  us,  when  the  Lord  Jesus  shall 
be  i-evealed  from  heaven  with  his  mighty  angels,  iu  flaming 
fire,  taking  vengeance  on  them  that  know  not  Qod,  and 
that  obey  not  the  gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Who 
shall  be  punished  with  everlasting  destruction  from  the 
presence  of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of  his  power. — 
When  he  shall  come  to  be  glorified  in  his  saints,  and  to  be 
admired  in  all  them  that  believe,  (because  our  testimony 
was  believed)  in  that  day." 

We  are  aware  that  some  uuiversalists  suppose,  the  text  has 
reference  to  the  judgement  upon  Jerusalem,  and  the  spread 
of  the  gospel  among  the  Gentiles  ;  but  there  was  nothing 
in  that  event  to  correspond  with  such  language ;  especi- 
ally since  all  in  that  day,  who  believed  in  a  future  state, 
believed  in  future  rewards  and  punishments  ;  and  would 
be  very  likely  to  so  understand  the  apostle.  Besides,  there 
can  be  no  doubt  he  refers  here  to  the  same  events  that  he 
does  in  the  4th  chapt.  of  1st  Thes.  as  above  quoted.  Com- 
pare with  Acts  XVII.  31  :  '*  because  he  hath  appointed  a  day 
iu  the  which  he  will  judge  the  world  in  righteousness,  by 
that  man  whom  he  hath  ordained;  whereof  he  hath  given 
assurance  unto  all  men,  in  that  he   hath    raised  him  from 


or  UMV^fiRSALISM  EXAMIKBD..  17  \ 

the  dead."  Also  Heb.  ix  :  27,  "Aod  as  it  is  appouite<- 
unto  men  once  to  die,  but  after  this  the  judgeineut/'  ^Vt; 
kuow  universalisls  have  iuveuted  other  explanations  to 
these  passages;  but  we  are  satisfied,  that  Paul  had  refer- 
ence to  a  judgement  of  mankind  in  the  future  state.  Ivnow- 
ing  as  he  did,  that  a  future  judgement  had  obtained  gener- 
al credit  among  all  religious  people,  he  must  have  known, 
that  they  would  understand  him  to  sanction  such  a  senti- 
ment iu  the  above  passages.     Had  Paifl  been  a  universalis!, 

id  desirous  to 'correct  the  prevailing  crrour,  he  took  a 
very  singular  way  to  do  it.  The  sense  universalists  g:ve 
these  texts,  would  never  be  likely  to  be  dreamed  of  by  those 
people.  And,  indeed,  it  was  never  thought  of  till  centuries 
afterwards!  We  intend  to  notice  these  passages  in  a  sub- 
^.equent  section.  And  we  say  again,  we  wish  all  uuiversul- 
■i  preachers  were  such  xiuiversalists  as  Paul,  so  that  no 
Ijody  would  so  understand  them,  except  some  subtle  crit- 
icks,  who  would  so  understand  Wesley  and  Clarke. 

2.  Again,  Christ's  words  on  the  resurrection  plainly  im- 
ply, that  all  shall  not  be  blessed  and  happy  then.  *'Anfl 
rhou  shalt    be  blessed;  for  they  cannot  recompense  thee: 

•r  thou  shalt  be  recompensed  at  the  resurrection  of  the 
jf!*.?L" — Luke  xiv  :  14. 

Had  Christ  supposed  that  all  would  be  happy  in  the  res- 
urrection, he  would  have  been  likely  to  say,  "  for  thou  shalt 
<','C  recompensed  with  every  body  else,  whether  they  do  this 
or  not,  in  the  resurrection."  The  phrase  ''resurrection  of 
the  just,''  plainly  imports,  that  the  just  had  something  bet- 
ter to  expect  in  the  resurrection,  than  the  unjust.  And 
how  could  the  blessings  in  the  resurrection  be  considered 
n  '•recompense,,'  if  they  were  nothing  more  than  the  most 
\vorthicss  must  receive  in  common  with  all  others,  whether 
J  hey  are  obedient  or  not?     Again, 

"But  they  which  shall  be   accounted  worthy  to  obtain 

■lat  world,  and  the  resurrection  from  the  dead  ;  neither 
'  r,;rry  nor  are  given  in  marriage.     Neither  can  they  die  any 


172  AReUME.NTi  AND  FKI>CirL,K» 

n>ore:  lor  they  are  equal  unto  the  ange!>  ;  ami  are  the  chif- 
dren  of  God,  being  the  children  of  the  resurrection. '" — Luke 
XX :  'So,  30.  We  adduce  this  text  to  corroborate  our  view 
of  the  resurrection,  though  we  are  apprized  iiniversaJ- 
ists  seize  upon  it  to  prove  universal  purity  and  happiness- 
in  the  resurrection.  They  contend  that  all  are  then  to  be 
"equal  unto  the  angels — to  die  no  more — to  be  lhf»  chil- 
dren of  God,"  &;c.  But  look  again.  The  Sadducess  had 
wisiied  to  know,  ho\r  tho  woman  should  dispose  of  the  sev- 
en men,  in  the  heavenly  world,  who  had  all  been  her  hus- 
bands in  this?  Jesus  answered  with  reference  to  the  sup- 
position, that  they  should  all  go  to  one  place  "that  world," 
"  Tkey  that  are  accounted  icorihy  to  obtain  that  world  ami 
the  resurrection  of  the  dead."  Now  why  did  he  so  intro- 
duce theanswer,ifhe  knew  that  a// would  obtain  that  world 
and  the  resurrection  ?  J/Z  might  obtain  the  resurrection, 
and  not  all  be  accounted  worthy  to  obtain  both  that  world 
and  the  resurrection.  There  would  be  no  diOicuIty,  of 
course,  about  the  husbands,  unless  they  went  to  the  same 
abode  with  the  woman.  Hence  Jesus  undertakes  to  de- 
scribe the  character  of  those,  who  should  be  so  happy  a:\ 
to  obtain  t^at  world,  as  well  as  ihe  resurrection  from  the 
dea4-  .  The  conclusion  is  irresiytihle,  that  Jesus  supposed 
sorwe  would  not  be  accounted  worthy  to  obtahi  both  th;i 
world  and  the  resurrection  ;  and  considered  it  possible  that 
some  of  the  seven  husbands  might  not  be  worthy;  or  the 
woman  might  not:  but  as  many  of  them  as  should  be  v/or- 
thy,  would  be  equal  to  the  angels, — the  children  of  God. 
&c.     Again, 

"Marvel  not  at  this ;  for  the  hoitr  is  coming,  in  the  whic' 
all  that,  are  in  the  graves,  shall  hear  his  voice;  and  sha 
come  forth;  they  that  have  done  good,  unto  the  resurrec- 
tion of  life,  and  they  that  have  done  evil,  unt,o  the  resurrec- 
tion of  damnation.'" — Johnv:2S,  29.     This  text  pu*-^ '^^ 
..fifucstion  at  rest.     It  is  as  unequivocal  as  was  possible, 
iaiiversalistsi  coiitend^  (hat  it  ilne.'<  not  meiin  so!     lUa  tlij 


or  UNIVERSALIBM  EXAM-INKD.  173 

it  means  a  spiritual  resurrection  from  moral  death  ;  as  in 
vers©!j  24,  25.  Indeed  in  *  these  verses,  Jesus  used  the 
figure  ot'  <i  resurrection  to  denote  the  moral  renovation  of 
fhe  soul.  But  in  that  case,  all  that  heard  his  word  and 
believed,  rose  to  "everlasting  life,"  the  enjoyment  of  the 
vital  principles  of  Christ;  all  that  heard  "passed  from 
death  to  life,"  and  all  that  hear  in  this  manner  "shall  live." 
No  condemnation  in  this  case.  But  having  used  the  fjg- 
nre  of  a  resurrection  to  illustrate  the  spiritual  renovatiois 
produced  by  the  vital  power  of  grace,  upon  the  beiiefcr's 
heart ;  he  improves  the  occasion  to  speak  of  the  literal  res- 
urrection of  the  dead.  He  therefore  begins  by  telling 
thera  not  to  marvel  or  wonder  at  what  he  had  told  them 
about  the  moral  resurrection  of  the  mind;  as  if  he  would 
speak  of  a  resurrection  of  a  dilferent  kind ;  and  one  far 
more  wonderful.  What  was  this  resurrection?  It  was 
one  not  from  moral  death;  but  in  which  "all  that  are  in 
the  graves  shall  hear  his  voice."  He  seems  to  mention  the 
{graves  for  the  express    purpose  of  describing  the  kind   of 

'surrection  he  meant.  As  much  as  if  he  had  said,  "Do 
not  wonder  that  sinners,  dead  in  sin,  are  through  the  en- 
ergy of  the  Son  of  God   awakened  to  moral  life;  because 

reuter  things  than  that  will  be  accom]dished.  Even  the 
time  will  come,  when  all,  that  are  literally  dead  and  in  the 
graves,  will  hear  his  voice;  and  shall  come  forth.  But 
they  shall  not  all  come  forth  to  the  enjoyment  of  life. — 
They  that  have  lived  good  lives  shall  come  forth  to  a  res- 
urrection of  life^  but  the  wicked  shall  come  forth  to  con- 
demnation and  shame."  If  our  Saviour  meant  by  resur- 
rection here,  the  conversion  or  regeneration  of  the  sinner, 
there  would  be  no  propriety  in  the  distinction  of  character 
he  makes.  For  all  the  unconverted,  who  are  morally  dead, 
previous  to  conversion  or  the  spiritual  resurrection,  are 
"  they  that  have  done  evil."  There  are  not  two  characters 
among  theca.  And  when  they  come  forth  in  a  spiritual 
resurrection  or  regeneration,  they  come  forth  to  life— rto 

15* 


174  ARGUME.ITTS  AlS D  PRINCIPLES 

Spiritual  life ;  as  said  Jesus,  in  verses  24  and  25,  *'  Verify^ 
verily,  I  say  unto  yon,  he  that  heareth  my  word,  and  be- 
lieveth  on  him  that  sent  me,  hath  everlasting  life,  and  shall 
not  come  into  condtmnation ;  but  is  passed  fro7Ti  death  to 
life."  *'  Verily,  veriiy,  I  say  unto  yon,  the  hour  is  co?Tiing, 
and  now  is,  when  the  dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son 
of  God,  and  they  that  hear  shalLlh't.'''  Here  it  is  perceiv- 
ed, that  Christ's  description  of  a  spiritual  resurrection  dif- 
fers in  its  circnmstances  essentially  from  his  description  of 
what  we  conceive  to  be  a  literal  resurrection  of  the  dead. — 
Nay — there  are,  we  have  seen,  circumstances  in  this  last 
description,  entirely  inconsistent  with  a  description  of  as 
spiritual  resurrection  or  conversion  to  Christ.  Universal- 
ists  will  refer  us  to  the  37th  chapter  of  Ezek.  to  show  thai 
the  restoration  of  Israel  is  clothed  with  the  imagery  of  a 
resurrection  of  dry  bones,  in  order  to  prove  our  Saviour's 
'anguage  figurative,  -^nA  that  he  does  not  mean  a  literal  res- 
r.rrection.  In  Ezekiel  the  circumstances  of  the  description 
as  well  as  the  explanation  that  accompanies  it,  prove  it  not 
literal;  but  there  is  no  such  thing  to  disprove  the  literal 
sense  of  Christ's  words  here.  We  are  hound  to  take  his 
words  in  their  literal  sense,  unless  we  have  conclusive  evi- 
dence that  he  did  not  intend  to  be  so  understood.  This  text 
alone  is  sufficient  to  overthrow  the  doctrine,  that  all  will 
be  happy  in  the  resurrection,  wherever  the  unvarnished 
sense  of  Christ's  words  are  preiered  to  human  theories. — 
Besides  it  agrees  with  the  expressions  of  Scripture  gener- 
ally on  the  subject  of  a  resurrection.  We  have  been  thus 
particular  here,  because  the  loth  of  Paul  to  the  Corinthians, 
is  considered  the  strong  ho-ld  of  universalists.  They  will 
hang  to  their  construction  of  it  with  the  grasp  of  despara- 
tion.  We  have  done  so  in  past  days;  but  it  is  of  no  use  to 
be  deceived  by  the  plausible  construction  of  a  few  equivo- 
cal words  on  the  resurrection.  The  concurrent  testimony 
©f  Divine  Revelation  must  correct  the  errour,  with  all  tho?f 
who  will  read  with  candotir. 


or   UNIVERSALISM  EXAMINED.  V/5 

We  now  come  to  notice  a  nujnber  of  passages  of  similar 
iraport,  by  which,  it  is  attempted  to  support  universalism, 
from  the  WILL  OF  GOD. 

"Who  will  have  all  men  to  be  saved,  and  to  come  unto 
the  knowledge  ofthe  truth." — 1.  Tim.  ii:  4. 

We  cannot  sijppose  Ood  to  have  desires  and  wishes  -as 
men  have,  any  niore  than  we  can  suppose  he  has  passions. 
Yet,  in  the  langu:ige  of  accommodation,  all  these  are  as- 
cribed to  him.  All  words  are  used  to  convey  thoughts  to 
the  mind;  but  we  must  not  suppose  words  applied  to  the 
Deity,  which  asciibc  affections,  desires,  and  passions  to  him, 
are  to  be  understood  in  the  same  sense,  and  same  force, 
they  would  be  if  applied  to  men.  The  WILL  OF  GOD 
IS  used  in  Scripture  1st.  to  denote  his  divine  energy  in  the 
government  of  ihc  physical  universe.  2d.  To  denote  his 
irresistible  co7itrol  over  the  moral  and  intellectual  world. — 
3d.  To  denote  the  mora/ prtncip^s,  which  he  iias  estab- 
lished and  enjoined  upon  the  intellegent  universe,  as  the 
rule  of  action  among  accountable  beings.  And  4th.  To 
denote  the  principles  of  that  system,  by  which  men  are  re- 
deemed, sanctified,  and  saved.  These  are  the  things  signi- 
iied  by  the  will  of  God  in  the  Scriptures.  And  it  is  by  at- 
tention to  any  passage,  containing  the  term,  and  its  eon- 
text,  and  the  general  voice  of  Scripture  on  the  same  subject, 
that  we  are  to  determine  in  which  of  these  meanings  it  is 
used.  And  it  will  be  perceived,  that  none  of  these  mean- 
ings imply  a  desire  or  wish :  nor  a  possibility  of  disappoint- 
■rni  on  his  part,  whatever  the  event  may  be.  W^henever 
■he  loill  of  God  is  used  in  either  the  first  or  second  sense, 
the  meaning  isthit  the  thing  takes  place,  or  will  take  place 
accordingly.  But  the  icill  of  God,  in  the  third  or  fourth 
sense,  does  not  imply  that  the  thing  necessarily  takes  place, 
or  will  take  place  accordingly.  We  will  refer  to  some  pas- 
sages to  illustrate  our  meaning  and  application. 

"Yea,  before  the  day  was  I  am  he  ;  and  there  is  none 
:hat  can  deliver  out  of  my  hand.     I  will  work,  and   who 


176  ARGBME.NTS  AND  TKIMIPLER 

shall  let  il?" — Isa.  xmi :  13.  "Thou  wilt  say  then  uuto 
ine,  why  doth  he  yet  liud  fault  ?  for  who  hath  resisted  hit 
WILL?" — Rom.  IX  :  15*.  "Being  predestinated  according 
to  thepurjioseof  hira,  who  workethall  thiogs  after  the  coun- 
cil of  his  own  will." — Eph.  i:  11.  The  term  is  used  in 
the  above  passages  in  the  first  or  second  sense.  But  in  tlie 
following  passages,  it  is  used  in  the  third  or  fourth. 

"  For  whosoever  shall  do  the  will  of  God,  the  same  i.^ 
my  brother,  and  my  sister,  and  mother." — Mark  iii :  'ST). — 
"  1  delight  to  do  thy  will  O  my  God." — Ps.  xl  :  8.  "  Teach 
me  to  dothyimll;  for  thou  art  my  God  :  thy  spirit  is  good  : 
lead  me  into  the  land  of  uprightness." — Ps.  cxliii  :  10. 
"Thy  kingdom  come;  thy  imll  be  done  in  earth  as  it  is  in 
heaven." — Matt,  ri :  10.  "Not  every  one  that  saith  unto 
me,  Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven: 
but  he  that  doeih  the  will  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heav- 
en."— Matt.  VII  :  21.  "But  if  any  man  be  a  worshipper 
of  God,  and  doeth  his  will,  him  he  heareth." — John  i  x  :  ^3J . 

"That  he  no  longer  should' live  the  rest  of  his  time  in 
the  flesh,  to  the  lusts  of  men,  but  to  the  ioill  of  God." — 
1  Pei.  IV  :  2.  "And  the  world  passeth  away  and  the  lust* 
thereof;  but  he  that  doeth  the  tmll  of  God  abideth  for 
ever." — 1  John  II :  17. 

Many  similar  passages  might  be  quoted ;  but  these  arr- 
euoughto  show,  that  the  Scriptures  often  speak  of  the  mor- 
al principles  enjoined  on  us,  and  the  principles  by  which 
we  a/e  to  be  saved,  as  being  the  will  of  God ;  and  at  the 
same  time  clearly  intimating,  that  these  principles  may.  or 
may  not,  go  into  operation  and  success,  as  we  yield  to,  or 
reject  them.  All  the  comrjnands  of  God  are  held  forth  as 
Wis  will:  yet  we  could  not  suppose,  that  all  his  commands 
are  always  obeyed.  And  the  whole  language  of  Scripture 
holds  forth  the*/>nnci/)Zes  of  the  Gospel,  by  which  men  are 
to  be  saved,  as  Tiwill  or  design  of  God,  accompanied  wiih 
all  the  necessary  means  on  his  part;  but  which'  may  or 
mav  not  result  in  onr  salvation,  as  we  shall  embrace  or  re- 


OF  UNlVERSAiJSM  EXAMISF.TS.  177 

ject  tlicin.  Thus,  *'The  Lord  is  not  slack  couceniing 
his  promise,  as  some  men  count  slackness;  but  is  long  snt- 
feriug  to  US-ward,  not  ivilUng  that  any  should  perish,  but 
that  all  should  corae  to  repentance.'' — 2  Pet.  iii :  9.  This 
places  the  will  of  God  for.  the  principles  by  wliich  we  are 
to  be  saved,  if  saved  at  all ;  yet  we  may  perish  for  all  that; 
and  we  do  not  all  come  to  repentance.  "  For  God  so  loved 
the  world  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whoso- 
ever believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlast- 
ing life."— John  iii :  15,  This  text  reads  as  if  God  design- 
ed the  gift  of  his  son  for  all  rnen,  on  condition  that  tbey 
should  embrace  him  and  obey  the  Gospel.  "Furl  have 
no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  him  that  dietli,  saith  the  Lord 
God;  wherefore  turn  yourselves  and  live  ye." — Ezekiel 
XVI II :  32.  Here  God  is  represented  as  regretting  the  ne- 
cessity that  some  must  die  for  tucir  sins  ;  and  that  they  will 
not  repent  and  live.  But  it  is  the  language  of  accommo- 
dation, which  is  designed  to  teach  us  that  tlie  principles 
upon  which  salvation  is  offered  us,  are  that  all  obstacles  are 
removed  on  the  part  of  God;  so  that  we  may  be  saved  If 
we  will  lead  good  lives.  "If  that  nation,  against  whom  I 
have  pronounced,  turn  from  their  evil,  I  wjll  repent  of  the 
fcvil  that  I  thought  to  (Yb  unto  them." — Jer.  xviii :  8.  Al- 
though this  passage  represents  God  to  repent  of  what  he 
iutended  to  do;  it  simply  means,  that  such  are  the  princi- 
ples of  his  government,  that  if  the  wicked  turn  from  their 
ickedness,  they  shall  not  suffer  the  evils  that  olherv.isc 
ould  fall  upon  them.  It  is  tho  language  of  accommoda- 
tion, but  not  the  language  of  philosophy.  Such  language 
is  common  in  the  Bible,  and  easily  distinguished,  wiiere 
people  wish  to  be  candid.  Such  language  is  in  use  among 
us.  We  s^iy  "the  sun  rises,"  when  we  mean,  the  eartli 
turns  so  as  to  make  the  sun  appear  to  rise,  &c. 

When  the  apostle  tells  us  it  is  the  will  of  God  that  all 
irjcn  should  be  saved:  wc  should  candidly  examine  to  know 
V  ?;ethcr  he  means  by   if,  that  divine  energy  and   irresisiiblr 


178  AncUSfl<:>TS  AND  PRKNtlPLF.S 

control  which  never  cau  be  thwarted;  or  only  that  benev- 
olence and  grace,  which  offers  salvation  to  all  that  want  it; 
and  which  requires,  that  all  men  "^come  now  to  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  truth,"  that  all  men  pray  without  wrath  and 
doubting — that  all  men  every  where  repent — that  all  men 
lovehrni  and  obey  his  commandments,  &c.  All  this  does 
not  take  place,  though  it  is  represented  to  be  the  u'Ul  of 
God:  because  it  is  something  which  depends  upon  th« 
(Vee  and  uncontrolled  volitions  of  men.  In  this  sense  wt* 
are  to  understand  all  those  passages  which  represent  God  to 
will  the  salvation  of  all.  Because  1st.  The  Scri})tures  gen- 
erally speak  as  if  all  men  would  not  be  saved  ;  and  as  if  it 
depended  on  submission  and  obedience;  and  in  some  pla- 
ces, they  plainly  teach  a  partial  salvation.  2.  The  Scrip- 
tures no  more  teach,  that  God  tcills  the  salvation  of  all 
men,  than  that  he  icills  the  universal  holiness  of  all  men 
nov.  ,.A^ich  does  not  take  place.  And  these  two  wills  are 
represented  as  similar;  and  both  depend  on  our  free  and 
uncontrolled  volitions,  whether  they  are  accomplished  or 
not.  It  will  be  asked — what  better  security  have  v/e  for  the 
salvation  of  the  faithful  and  obedient,  than  the  will  of  God/ 
We  answer,  their  sulvatiwn  depends  on  the  irresistible  en- 
ergy of  God  :  and  is  always  represented  ns  sure  and  certain. 
Not  as  something  which  may  or  ought  to  take  place;  but 
as  something  that  positively  will  take  place. 

The  Gospel  every  where  represents  salvation,  as  free  for 
all — abundant  for  all — prepared  for  all — and  ready  for  all. 
Hence  it  often  exhibits  the  Deity  as,  purposing,  designing-, 
and  willing  that  all  shall  be  saved  ;  but  no  more  than  it 
exhibits  him  a.'j  purpocing,  designing,  and  uHJling  that  all 
shonid  now  be  holy  and  obedient. 

In  this  sense  we  seriously  think  the  apostle  intended  to 
be  understood,  and  was  understood  at  the  time,  in  Ephs.  i. 
0,  10;  Col.  1.  19;  Phil.  n.  10,  11  ;  Ileb.  ii.  14.  We  will 
notice-the  first.  "  Having  made  known  unto  us  the  m^f^tcry 
of  his  will,  according  to  his  good  pleasure,  which  he  hath 


OF   UKIYKRSALISM  EXAMINE©.  179 

purposed  in  himself;  that  in  the  dispensation  of  the  ful- 
ness of  time,  he  might  gather  together  in  one  all  things  in 
in  Christ,  both  which  are  in  heaven,  and  which  are  on  earth  ; 
evam  in  him."  All  things  here,  is  not  to  be  taken  in  its  full 
latitude  ;  because  none  will  suspect  the  apostle  to  have  ex- 
pected all  animate  aad  inanimate  things  to  be  gathered  to- 
gether in  Christ.  This  absolute  sense  of  all  things,  will 
not  be  contended  for;  and  whether  the  apostle  meant  all 
the  human  family,  by  aW  things,  cannot  be  certainly  known. 
Since  the  phrase  must  be  limited,  we  cannot  determine 
how  much  itshould  be  limited.  However,  we  admit  that 
jt  may  mean  all  mankind.  "  The  mystery  of  his  jnV/," 
which  God  had  revealed  to  the  discipl«is,  was  simply,  that 
system  of  grace,  redemption,  and  salvation,  brought  to 
light  in  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ.  And  we  have  seen 
abundantly,  that  that  system  consisted  in  the  offer  of  heaven 
through  Christ  to  all  men  on  condition  of  faith  and  repen- 
tance. 

••  And  he  said  unto  them,  unto  you  it  is  given  to  know 
tliG  mystery  of  the  kingdom  of  God." — Mark  iv.  11.  *'But 
■vve  speak  the  wisdom  of  God  in  a  mystery,  even  the  hidden 
wisdom,  which  God  ordained  before  the  world  to  our  glo- 
ry."— I.  Cor.  II.  7.  "  And  to  make  all  men  see  what  is  the 
"lowship  of  the  mystery,  which  from  the  beginning  of  the 
.;  jild  hath  been  hid  in  God,  who  created  all  things  by  Je- 
sus Christ." — Eph.  in.  9.  "And  without  controversy, 
great  is  the  mystery  of  godliness  ;  God  was  manifest  in  the 
flesh,  justified  in  the  spirit,  seen  of  angels,  preached  unto 
the  Gentiles,  believed  on  in  the  world,  received  up  into 
glory." — I.  Tim.  in.  16.  Such  was  the  mystery  of  the  will 
aad  purpose  of  God,  that  a  full  and  perfect  ransom  and  a- 
tonement  should  bo  made  ;  *'  a  feast  of  fat  things"  provi- 
ded "  for  all  people,"  that  "whosoever  believeth  on  him 
should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life  :"  "  that  he 
'frht  gather  together  in  one,  all  mankind  in  Christ," — 
bat  is,  such  was  the  fulness,  the   freeness,  the  extensive- 


]  ,^0  A RG  U  ai K N T  j>  A  N  »  VR >K  1 1 1'  L  l.S 

ness,  of  the  system,  and  the  principles  and  terms  of  salva- 
tion, that  all  men  might  be  gathered  together  in  Christ. — 
*'  I  will  give  unto  him  that  is  athirst  of  the  fountain  of  the 
v/ater  of  life  freely." — Rev  xxi.  6.  "And  the  spirit  and 
the  bride  say  come.  And  let  hini  that  heareth  say  come. 
And  let  him  that  is  athirst  come.  And  Whosoever  will, 
let  him  take  of  the  water  of  life  freely." — Hev.  xxii.  17. 

We  say  a;^ain ;  this  is  salvation  enough  for  all  that  wish 
to  be  saved.  But  those  v>^ho  do  not  desire  salvation,  bul 
prefer  the  ways  of  vice,  the  sinks  of  dissipation,  the  tents  c 
iniquity,  the  dark  scenes  of  gambling,  profanity,  revelry,  an: 
corruption,  to  the  sacred  enjoyments  of  Christ,  let  them 
have  their  choice.  And  if  they  will  snarl  and  bite,  because 
we  will  not  insist,  that  they  shall  go  to  heaven,  whether  ihev 
choose  it  or  not,  let  them  rave.  We  pity  their  delusion, 
but  we  have  no  consolation  to  offer  them,  except  they  re- 
pent, turn  to  God  and  obey  his  precepts. 

We  have  seen  above,  that  the  scheme  of  salvation,  which 
proffers  pardon  to  all,  but  embraces  none  but  the  penitent 
and  good,  is  what  is  meant,  by  the  will  of  God  that  all  shall 
be  saved.  That  this  will  or  scheme  does  not  secure  the  sal- 
vation of  all,  any  more  than  the  will  of  God  or  moral  st/s- 
iein  that  all  men  shall  be  holy  and  obedient  now  secures 
the  present  holiness  and  obedience  of  all.  That  it  is  not 
such  a  will  of  God,  as  implies  his  oiimipotent  energy,  which 
cannot  be  thwarted,  that  embraces  the  salvation  of  all  men  ; 
but  that  icill  of  God,  which  signifies  an  indulgent  oppor- 
tunity for  all  to  be  saved,  by  doing  the  things  necessary  on 
their  part  for  salvation.  Let  our  opponents  sneer  if  they 
will,  about  two  divine  wills.  We  expect  they  can  get 
along  with  this  no  better  than  to  sneer  at  it.  We  have  not 
spoken  of  two  divine  wills  literally  ;  nor  of  any  divine  wi! 
that  can  be  frustrated.  But  we  do  contend,  the  scripture:^ 
in  order  to  bring  out  truth  to  the  capacity  of  all,  do  reprc 
sent  God  as  ifJjV/mjg- things,  which  never  take  place;  an' 
that  his  will  is  used  to  express  our  duty,  and  the  principle 


or  UNIVERSALISM  EXAMINED.  181 

on  which  we  ni'\y  be  saved.  And  that  in  such  cases,  no 
omnipotent  and  irresistible  energy  on  his  part,  is  impHed 
in  the  Scriptures.  They  cannot  deny  these  truths. — 
Hence  it  follows,  that  a  few  passages  expressive  of  the  mill 
of  God  that  all  men  shall  be  saved,  do  not  prove  that 
they  will  be  ;  nor  that  any  will  implying  desire  or  wish  on 
his  part,  is  to  be  thwarted.  Indeed,  we  know  not,  whe- 
ther it  is  philosophically  correct,  to  suppose  the  Deity  has 
desires  and  wishes. 

But  after  all,  if  the  text  in  Eph.  '*  having  made  known 
unto  us  the  mystery  of  his  will,"  &c.  was  designed  to 
teach  the  certainty  of  the  eventual  salvation  of  all,  it  would 
favour  the  restoration  system,  and  not  the  system  of  uni- 
versalistn,  which  we  are  examining. 

The  objector,  in  looking  over  this  work,  will  perceive, 
that  it  represents  God  to  make  a  fair  offer  of  heaven  to 
men,  and  to  suspend  its  blessings  upon  the  conditions  of 
acceptance  and  a  good  life.  He  will  see  that  this  is  exactly 
such  a  system  as  this  poor  world  needs,  frail  and  erring  as 
it  is,  and  surrounded  with  besetments  and  temptations  as 
it  is  ;  where  so  much  folly,  corruption,  and  crime  abound. 
That  it  gives  to  virtue  its  highest  hopes  and  greatest  en- 
couragement. That  it  strengthens  our  good  resolutions 
and  cherishes  our  good  affections,  with  all  that  can  charm, 
delight,  or  interest  the  human  heart ;  while  it  throws  the 
strongest  possible  guard  around  us.  It  warns  us  against  sin, 
by  all  that  is  solemn  in  death,  awful  in  judgement,  or  tremen- 
dous in  the  retributions  of  another  world.  Yet  he  will  say," 
this  system  is  partial,  in  as  much  as  it  does  not  give  the  hea- 
then an  equal  chance  to  accept  of  proffered  mercy  ;  as  the 
Bible  has  never  been  given  them.  But  the  Bible  does  not, 
teach  us  clearly  upon  what  principles  the  heathen  are  to  be 
judged,  saved,  or  lost.  The  Bible  unfolds  the  principles, 
by  v^hich  those,  who  Lave  an  opportunity  to  read  it,  are  to 
be  judged.     And  it  was  unnecessary  for  the  Bible  to  teach 

much  upon  what  principles  the  heathen  are  to  be  judged  ; 

16 


188  AneuMflrfTs  a.^d  raiitcirLKi 

as  thelieathen  would  not  se€  it,  if  it  were  so  ;  and  -as  fast  a« 
they  become  acquainted  with  it,  they  come  under  its  prin- 
ciples. It  teaches  us,  however,  that  they  who  have  not  the 
law,  are  judged  without  law,  being  a  law  unto  themselves. 
We  might  give  our  views  in  full  with  regard  to  the  principles 
upon  which  is  to  turn  the  salvation  of  the  heathen,  but  as 
that  is  not  necessary,  for  the  object  of  this  volume,  and  as 
it  would  require  considerable  space,  we  will  only  remark, 
that  we  have  proof  enough  to  satisfy  us,  that  the  heathen 
will  be  judged  upon  principles  equally  equitable  with  us. 
That  their  salvation  ultimately  will  depend  upon  the  proper 
use  of  faculties  and  opportuuities^iven  them.  That  their 
endless  wretchedness  can  only  result,  from  a  voluntary  and 
wilful  rejection  of  light;  a  refusal  to  embrace  Christ,  with 
a  fair  opportunity  to  do  it  knowingly  and  wilfully.  "  This 
is  the  condemfiation^  that  light  is  come  into  the  world,  and 
men  loved  darkness  rather  than  hght,  because  their  deeds 
were  evil". — John  in.  19. — This  must  doubtless  be  the 
condemnation  of  all  that  are  ever  condemned. 

We  now  come  to  the  consideration  of  a  passage,  in  Rev. 
V.  13. 

**  And  every  creature  which  is  in  heaven,  and  on  the  earth, 
and  under  the  earth,  and  such  as  are  ih  the  sea,  and  all  that 
are  in  them,  heard  I  saying,  blessing,  and  honour,  and  glo- 
i-y,  and  power,  unto  Him  that  sittethupou  the  throne,  and 
unto  the  Lamb  for  ever  and  ever." 

This  is  considered  the  strongest  passage  in  proof  of  uni- 
versal salvation  by  its  advocates.  And  we  certainly  con- 
sider it  the  only  one  that  gives  the  doctrine  the  least  sup- 
port. But  if  this  text  teaches  universal  salvation,  it  be- 
longs to  the  restorationists,  as  nothing  in  it  could  be  con- 
strued to  teach  an  immediate  salvation,  either  at  death  or 
the  resurrection.  But  we  will  give  our  reasons  for  not 
supposing,  that  even  this  was  ever  designed  to  teach  a  uni- 
versal salvation. 

1.  It  occuis  in  the  Apocalypse — a  book,  which  unlver- 


or  UMTERSAtlSM  KXAMliNED.  18S 

salist  writers  say,  abounds  so  much  with  figure,  metaphor, 
allegory,  parable,  und  hyperbole,  that  it  is  unsafe  to  build  an 
Important  doctrine  upon  any  particular  passage  of  it,  which 
is  not  clearly  revealed  in  other  parts  of  the  Scriptures. — 
2d.  That  all  men  will  not  be  saved  is  pretty  clearly  taught 
in  this  same  book;  so  that  by  a  comparison  of  its  parts, 
the  Apocalypse  would  be  rather  against  universal  salva- 

itiou  than  for  it,  though  we  were  to  take  its  language 
in  ils  most  literal  sense.  3d.  This  text  is  not  introduced 
'  iij  the  manner  of  laying  down  a  doctrine  as  an  import- 
ant trijfh  and  fundamental  branch  of  the  christian  the- 
,o]Qgy.  Kut  it  is  represented  as  avision — an  appearance — 
not  that  every  thing  actually  teas  praising  God  :  but  that 
r.ll  tb.o.se  things  mentioned  by  him,  oppeared  to  be  doing  so. 
Suppose  it  was  a  glorious  representation  of  the  actual 
state  ofthings,  at  some  future  period.  The  flies,  worms, 
toads,  and  snakes,  &c.  are  not  supposed  to  be  chaunting 
juaise  io  God,  at  that  time  ;  but  it  is  thought  all  such  an- 
j::tiai:;  will  be  gone  before  that  takes  place  ;  so  that  ther« 
vviil  be  nothing  in  heaven,  earth,  under  the  earth,  or  in 
the  sea,  but  intelligent  beings,  who  should  then  be  enga- 
ged in-  spiritual  and  divine  worship.  Might  not  all  the 
v.jcked  too — the  "  fe&rful,  the  unbelieving,  and  abomina- 
ble," &c.  be  all  gone  before  that  time,  out  of  heaven,  earth,. 
:/d  s'^i ;  and  be  confined  in /leZZ,  or  •' the  lake  which  burn- 
.  •  .       ih  fire  and  brimstone  which  is  the  second  death?" 

If  tiie  wicked,  in  that  day,  are  all  banished  "from  the 
presence  of  the  Lord  and  from  the  glory  of  his  power;" 
hey  iuight  be  entirely  beyond  tlie  utmost  gaze  of  the  heav- 
enly inhabitants.  So  that  ail  the  sanctified  in  glory,  might 
ioo',  iiround  like  John  in  the  vision,  upon  every  creature 
!tc!i  ia  heaven,  earth,  and  sea  ;  and  contemplate  them  ss 
ihe  ^..;)py  worshippers  of  God.  And  they  might  listen  to 
:.;i«  'tiapturing  theme  of  redeeming  love   and    boundless 

I  graoft,  arising  from  all  the  millions  of  the  blessed.     Such 
mT-y  b  i  the  happv  privilege  of  all  that  evet-  "  come  out  of 


184  IRGUMENTS  AMD  PRINCIPLES 

great  tribulation,  having  their  robes  washed  and  made 
white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,"  while  the  wicked,  driven 
far  away  to  some  remote  part  of  the  universe,  may  "  cease 
from  troubling"  the  good  ;  and  lie  down  in  chains  of  dark- 
ness and  despair.  It  seems  probable,  that  this  vision  grant- 
ed to  the  revelator,  was  designed  not  to-  teach  him  how 
many  would  be  ultimately  saved  ;  but  to  let  him  have  a 
foretaste  of  heaven — to  let  him  know  how  all  things  around 
in  heaven,  earth,  and  sea,  would  appear  to  the  beatified 
millions,  who  shall  at  last  out  ride  the  storms  of  time,  and 
land  their  weary  spirits  in  the  haven  of  glory.  The  wick- 
ed, at  that  time,  may  be  entirely  beyond  the  enlarged  and 
expanded  view  of  the  saints  in  light,  so  that  to  them  may 
be  presented  the  very  aspect  so  sublimely  described  iii  our 
text.  We  think  this  is  tile  most  reasonable  construction 
of  the  passage,  especially  when  we  take  into  view,  the  gen- 
eral language  of  the  sacred  writings  on  the  subject  of  the 
wicked.  We  think  it  no  pen'ersion  of  the  beautiful  pas- 
sage, but  its  true  and  proper  import.  We  dare  not  know- 
ingly pervert  a  part  of  that  book,  v/hich  has  such  strong 
claims  to  the  merit  of  a  divine  revelation.  Indeed,  if  uni- 
versalism  be  the  doctrine  of  the  Bible,  we  wish  it  to  pre- 
vail. And  if  universalist  preachers  endeavour  to  reforui 
the  wicked,  we  wish  them  success.  We  care  not  who  Jo 
the  good  provided  it  be  done.  Another  and  last  text  wor- 
thy of  notice  on  this  head,  is  Rev.  xxi.  4. 

"And  God  shall  wipe  away    all    tears   from  their  evc:  • 
and  there  shall  be  no  more  death,  neither  sorrow,  nor  ■    ) 
ing,  neither  shall  there  be  any  more  pain  ;  for  the  fori  ; 
things  are  passed  away." 

The  argument  on  this  is,  that  the  meaning  cannot  be, 
that  there  shall  be  no  more  death,  sorrow,  crying,  nor  pain, 
in  heaven,  because  there  has  never  been  any  there  ;  therp- 
fore,  it  must  be  that  there  will  be  no  more  any  whtji  ' 
But  observe  the  revelator  was  describing  the  happy  stare 
of  those,  who  should  be    inhabitants  of  tfta  heavenly  c  ly. 


or  uwiyKasAiiisM  kxamipikd.  .185 

ind  there  is  nothing  in  the  context  to  induce  a  belief,  that 
men  are  all  to  be  citizens  of  the  holy  place.  On  the  other 
hand,  there  is  much  in  the  context  to  show,  that  the  wicked 
are  not  to  be  there.  The  meaning  is  simply  that  all  the  faith- 
ful shall  then  be  gathered  out  of  all  their  afllictions,  into  the 
New  Jerusalem,  the  city  of  God,  to  go  no  more  out;  where 
all  their  tears  shall  be  wiped  oft' — all  their  sorrows  shall  cease 
— their  weeping  and  mourning  shall  come  to  an  end — and 
they  shall  suffer  no  more  pain — and  death  shall  never  come 
in  his  awful  terrours,  to  mingle  their  joys,  blast  their  pros- 
pects, and  poison  all  their  bliss. 

In  the  very  last  word's  before  the  revelator  describes  this 
glorious  state  of  the  blessed,  he  describes  the  judgement 
of  the  world,  which  he  concludes  in  these  words,  **and 
whosoever  was  not  found  written  in  the  book  of  life  was 
cast  into  the  lake  of  fire." — Rev.  xx.  15. — Who  would  sup- 
pose, after  the  writer  had  thus  concluded  his  description 
of  the  judgement,  he  would  begin,  in  the  very  next  words, 
to  teach  universal  salvation  ?  Yet  some  will  think  so, 
and  the  author  used  to  think  so  ;  and  published  an  inge- 
nious explanation  q(  i\ns  judgement^  to  show  that  it  did  not 
mean  wiiat  the  words  naturally  imply.  But  it  is  plain,  that 
the  explanation  was  an  evasion,  rather  than  an  exposition  of 
its  true  and  natural  meaning.  Yet  the  author  was  consci- 
entious in  it ;  and  really  thouglit  he  was  contributing  some- 
thing to  the  good  of  mankind.  This  should  admonish 
him,  as  well  as  others,  to  believe  men  honest  in  their  views, 
hov/ever  extravagant  they  may  appear  to  us,  unless  we 
have  some  other  evidence  of  their  insincerity  than  the  fact, 
that  their  ideas  appear  absurd  to  us. 

Again;  the  revelator  has  no  sooner  described  the  happy 

state  of  those  in  the  heavenly  city,  than  he  begins  to  speak 

as  though  all  would  not  be  its  inhabitants,  "  he  that  over- 

cometh  shall  inherit  all  things;  and  I  will  be  his  God,  and 

he  shall  be  my  son." — Verse  7. 

"  ]3ut  the  fearful,  and  unbelieving,  and  the  abominsibia, 

16* 


186  ARGUMEJfTS  AIXD  PRIIfCIPLE$ 

and  murderers,  and  whoremongers,  and  sorcerers,  and  idol- 
aters, and  all  liars,  sha'.I  l);r»c  their  part  in  the  hike  wliich 
burneth  with  fire  and  brimstone ;  which  is  the  second 
death." — Verse  8. — Verily,  if  John  was  teaching  universal- 
ism  along  here,  he  did  not  know  how  to  teach  it,  as  weli 
as  our  universalist  brethren  now  do  !  You  might  hear 
them  preach  for  ages  flow  without  hearing  any  sucii  lan- 
guage from  them,  unless  they  referred  to  it  to  show  how 
it  could  be  evaded!  Again,  he  says,  "blessed  are  they 
that  do  his  commandments,  that  they  may  have  right  to  the 
tree  of  life,  and  may  enter  in  through  the  gates  into  the 
city.  For  without  are  dogs,  and  sorcerers,  and  whore- 
mongers, and  murderers,  and  idoiators,  and  whosoever 
lovethand  maketh  a  lie." — xxii.  14,  15. 

This  informs  us  who  they  will  be  that  will  enter  into  that 
city,  where  there  will  be  no  death,  nor  sorrow,  nor  crying, 
nor  paia.  Not  all  men ;  but  such  as  "  do  his  command- 
ments." They  have  right  unto  the  tree  of  life,  and  to  en- 
ter in  through  the  gates,  because  they  do  his  command- 
ments; not  because  all  men  will  have  right  to  enter  m. — • 
And  although  there  will  be  no  more  pain  nor  death  nor  sor- 
row to  those  who  "  enter  in  through  the  gates  into  the 
city,"  yet  the  sorcerers,  idoiators,  murderers,  and  liars, 
that  are  without,  and  can  never  get  in,  may  suffer  sorrow, 
and  pain,  and  death,  even  the  second  death.  They  have  no 
right  unto  the  tree  of  life.  Universalist  teachers  can  never 
give  them  the  right.  Neither  will  the  belief  in  universal- 
ism,  nor  any  other  ism  ever  give  them  the  right.  If  they 
want  the  privilege,  let  them  go  and  do  his  commandments, 
repent  of  their  sins,  and  live  to  God  and  his  precepts  ;  and 
they  will  then  have  a  right.  We  dare  not  promise  a  right 
on  any  other  terms. 


or  UNITJERSALISJI  ZJ.AUIVKD.  187 


SECTION  V. 

The  pwiishment  of  sin,  not  in  this  life. 

AWf  wlio  profess  to  believe  the  Bible,  profess  to  believe 
in  punishment  for  sin.  The  imiversalist,  like  the  deist, 
believes  in  no  forgiveness  of  sin,  in  the  common  sense  of 
forgiveness,  but  that  every  sin  will  certainly  and  infallibly 
be  punished  according  to  justice,  in  this  state  of  being. — 
They  agree  in  the  idea,  that  either  by  the  allotments  of 
Providence,  or  by  the  compunctions  of  conscience,  all  are- 
justly  punished  in  this  life,  and  have  nothing  to  fear  in  the 
hfe  to  come.  As  this  theory  denies  the  pardon  of  sin 
through  ihe  propitiation  of  Christ,  and  the  fears  of  future 
retribution,  deism  anduniversalism,  in  these  important  res- 
pects, are  alike.  And  hence,  as  might  be  expected,  the 
moral  effects  of  the  two  systems  are  precisely  the  same. — 
Universalists  suppose  all  punishments  to  be  inHicted  to  re- 
form the  punished — to  have  solely  their  good  for  their  ob- 
ject, and  to  be  in  reality  blessings.  That  God  punishes 
men  to  prevent  the  commission  of  sin,  which  he  appointed 
also  for  their  good.  We  have  protested  against  the  idea, 
that  men  will  be  likely  to  be  restrained  from  sin  through 
fear  of  a  punishment,  which  they  are  taught  will  be  a  bles- 
sing to  them.  Universalists  contend  that  God  carries  all 
his  designs  into  full  operation ;  and  adopts  such  measures 
only,  as  he  knows  will  fully  answer  the  purposes  for  which 
he  designed  them.  That  God  designs  all  punishment  as 
a  means  of  reforming  the  wicked,  and  tlKit  all  are  fully 
punished  in  this  life.  Hence  we  might  conclude,  that,  as 
God  designs  a/Z  punishments  for  the  reformation  of  the 
wicked  ;  and  punishes  all  men  amply  in  this  life  ;  and  as  all 
his  measures  must  succeed,  and  all  his  designs  must  be  ac- 
complished, therefore  all  men  must  be  reclaimed  and  re- 
formed in  this  life!     But  alas  for  their  system  !     It  her* 


183  AR«UME5T1  A-"fD  PRINCirLM 

runs  again  against  n  tree  !  Their  infallible  reasonings  rao 
madly  against  facts  !  Facts  show  that  so  far  from  all  men 
being  reformed  in  this  life  by  receiving  all  the  punish- 
ments due  to  their  crimes,  by  which  God  designed  to  re- 
form them,  many  of  them  grow  worse  and  worse  as  long 
as  they  hve ! 

If  God  designed  the  punishments  of  this  life,  which  he 
inflicts  amply  upon  all  men,  should  reform  them;  and  es- 
pecially, if  he  designed  the  idea,  that  all  punishments  are 
blessings,  should  terrify  the  wicked  from  the  commission  of 
those  sins,  which  he  appointed  for  the  good  of  all;  we 
should  think  he  wouid  see  by  this  time,  that  the  doctrine  of 
blessed  punishments  did  not  scare  people  much  ;  but  rather 
invited  them  to  put  themselves  in  the  way  to  have  as  many 
blessings  as  possible.  But  as  we  said,  all  admit  the  wicked 
will  be  punished.  The  question  now  is,  when?  Univer- 
salisra  says,  in  this  life  always.  We  say,  sometimes  some  m 
this  life,  and  also  in  the  life  to  come. 

If  in  this  life  in  all  cases,  the  punishments  must  consist 
of  either  external  or  internal  misery.  Is  it  external  ?  Look 
abroad  in  the  world.  Do  not  the  proud,  the  haughty,  the 
extortioners,  the  fraudulent,  the  oppressive,  the  hard  heart- 
ed, unrelenting  and  cruel,  often — very  often,  trample  down 
the  humble,  the  tender,  the  virtuous,  and  the  good,  as  ashes 
under  their  feet?  Is  there  not  more  genuine  virtue  and 
good  feeling,  amongst  the  poor,  afflicted,  and  suffering 
part  of  our  race,  than  among  the  luxurious,  opulent  and 
prosperous  ?  Is  not  virtue  in  this  world  often  neglected, 
censured,  and  persecuted  ?  Have  not  the  pious  and  good, 
in  millions  of  cases,  been  pursued  with  the  unrelenting  ven- 
geance of  maddened  bigotry  ?  Have  they  not  followed 
conscience,  when  the  red  banner  of  persecution  waved  ? 
Have  not  miUions  of  faithful  and  pure  souls  passed  along 
these  baleful  shores  cf  time,  friendless,  houseless,  shelter- 
less, unpitied,  unprotected  ;  tears,  sighs,  pinching  wants* 
and  alarms,  their  companioas!  blasted   hopes,  dungeon 


or  UNIVERSALISM  EXAMINED.  189 

glooms,  clanking  chains,  or  stormy  skies,  and  bloody  fields 
to  mark  the  successive  steps  of  their  poor  and  hapless  pil- 
grimage ?  How  vain,  for  the  easy  and  full  fed,  to  sit  down, 
unscathed  with  misfortune  ;  and  calculate  that  earthly 
comforts  are  apportioned  out  in  this  life,  according  to  the 
moral  merits  or  demerits  of  men  !  The  wicked  by  being 
too  adventurous  in  crime,  are  occasionally  brou^ght  to  the 
tribunal  of  human  justice;  but  how  many  unjust  acts — 
cruel  advantages,  heartless  seductions,  secret  frauds,  and 
abominable  indulgences,  go  unwhipt  of  justice  !  How 
many  escape  the  imperfect  retributions  of  publick  law! 
ilow  many  revel,  and  fatten,  and  laugh,  and  triumph,  in 
the  sinks  of  legalized  corruption  !  But  look  into  the 
Scriptures.  See  the  holy  army  of  martyrs  and  apostles — 
praying,  and  burning,  and  bleeding,  and  dying.  Did  not 
the  apostle  of  the  Gentiles  say,  "if  in  this  life  only,  we 
have  hope  in  Christ,  we  arc  of  all  men  most  miserable." 

The  Sodomites  had  become  very  wicked  ;  but  Lot  was 
a  righteous  man.  How  were  they  rewarded  in  this  life  ? 
The  wicked  were  permitted  to  die  suddenly,  because  they 
were  so  wicked,  and  after  a  single  pang,  according  to  uni- 
versaiism,  were  wafted  joyfully  into  glory.  Here  they 
*' bathed  their  weary  spirits,  in  seas  of  heavenly  rest." — 
While  Lot,  because  he  was  a  righteous  man,  was  obliged  to 
toil  along  in  this  vale  of  tears,  and  endure  years  of  trial ; 
and  at  last  he  had  to  die  as  well  as  the  rest!  Upon  this 
hypothesis,  is  it  not  plain,  that  the  wicked  who  perchance 
die  by  their  wickedness,  make  out  the  best  ?  That  mur- 
derers, if  they  happen  to  swing  upon  the  gallows,  only 
get  a  shorter  passport  to  paradise  ?  That  drunkards,  by 
becoming  beastly  and  swinish  a  few  years,  are  only  reeling 
.ig  the  path  to  the  abodes  of  the  sanctified  ?  The  old 
world  became  corrupt — and  upon  this  hypothesis  they  were 
.shipped  oft' fn  ma5.se  to  the  heavenly  world — to  sing  the 
i'ongs  of  deliverance;  while  Noah  and  his  family,  for  their 
obedience,  were  doomed  to  ride  the  storms  of  trial,   anci 


190  ARGUAIZNTS  A.ND  PRl.^CirLCS 

tread  the  stormy  shores  of  time,  for  many  long  nnd  dismal 
years,  before  they  could  be  admitted  to  glory  I 

"  There  was  a  man  in  the  land  of  Uz,  whose  name  Avas 
Job  ;  and  that  man  was  'perfect  and  upright  ;  and  one  that 
feared  God  and  escheived  evil.'" — Job  i.  1. — Now  how  was 
this  perfect  and  upright  man  externally  rewarded  for  his 
goodness  in  this  life  ?  This  man  had  vast  possessions  ; 
but  tlie  Sabians,  the  Chaldeans,  and  fire  from  heaven, 
swept  them  all  away.  He  had  sons  and  daughters,  but  they 
were  destroyed.  Re  was  also  smitten  with  sore  biles  from 
the  sole  of  his  foot  unto  his  crown.  He  had  friends  ;  but 
they  reproached  him  as  a  wicked  man,  because  the  Lord 
sulfered  him  to  be  so  afflicted.  Said  one,  "  If  thou  wert 
pure  and  upright;  surely  now  he  would  awake  for  thee, 
and  make  the  habitation  oi'  thy  righteousness  prosperous." 
— Job  VIII.  6. — All  his  wealth  given  to  the  winds  ;  his 
children  dead  ;  all  his  friends  turned  his  accusers  on  ac- 
count of  his  suflerings;  his  whole  flesh  in  torture,  and  his 
bones  in  pain — and  last  of  all,  when  he  most  needed  tho 
kind  sympathizing  tenderness  of  conjugal  endearment,  his 
wife  tauntingly  inquired  whether  he  would  still  retain  his 
integrity  ?  Instead  of  strengthening  his  virtuous  resolu- 
tions, and  consoling  the  suflering  man,  with  the  sweet  re- 
trospections of  the  past,  and  affectionate  encouragement  to 
perseverance,  she  exhorted  him  to  curse  God  and  die  I  Was 
all  this  a  punishment  upon  Job,  lor  being  a  perfect  and  up- 
right man  ?  A  half  an  eye  is  sufficient,  we  should  think, 
to  see,  that  the  comforts  of  the  external  condition  of  man, 
in  this  world,  depend  much  upon  his  wisdom,  his  industry, 
his  sagacity,  his  discernment,  his  cunning,  as  well  as  upon 
his  habits  ;  and  sometimes — nay,  often,  take  a  course,  en- 
tirely independent  of  all  these.  The  certain  and  just  and 
infallible  punishments  for  sin,  in  this  world,  do  not  consist 
then  in  the  external  condition  of  the  wicked.  Are  they 
miseries  inflicted  internally,  or  the  torments  of  the  mind  * 

It  is  so  thought  by   many.     But  how  is  tho    laind  tt 


OF  UNIVKRSALISM  EXAMIJJED.  191 

merited  ?  Why  it  Vill  be  answered — the  compunctions  of 
conscience.  Well,  it  must  be  admitted,  there  is  often  felt 
much  from  the  upbraidings  of  conscience.  But  does  con- 
science punish  oflenders  uniformly,  invariably,  and  as 
much  as  is  just.  1.  If  that  were  the  case,  men  could  nev- 
er be  justly  punished  any  other  way  let  them  do  what  they 
may. 

2.  If  that  were  the  case,  hs  universalists  think  all  the 
punishment  is  just  which  is  necessary  to  reform,  we  should 
see  all,  not  only  justly  punished  by  conscience,  but  all  re- 
iormed  by  this  just  punishment. 

3.  In  order  to  inflict  a  just  punishment,  in  every  case  in 
this  life,  conscience  must  lash  the  guilty  soul  much  harder 
in  proportion  to  the  guilt  in  some  cases  than  in  others.  For 
instance,  two  men  commit  an  act  in  which  they  are  both 
equally  guilty,  the  one  dies  in  ten  minutes  afterwards,  the 
other  lives  ten  years;  now  conscience  must  have  stung  the 
first  as  much  in  ten  minutes,  as  it  would  the  other  in  ten 
years  !  to  finish  its  perfect  work  in  this  world  ! 

4.  In  order  to  punish  sin  justly  and  invariably  in  this 
world,  conscience  must  be  invariably  pehect.  Now  if  con- 
science were  always  so  perfect  as  to  punish  sin  justly  and 
invariably,  it  would  be  so  perfect  as  to  prevent  sin  from  be- 
ing committed.  Conscience  is  a  part  or  property  of  the 
mind.  The  more  pure  and  perfect  one's  conscience  is  the 
harder  it  is  for  him  to  sin  ;  and  the  more  imperfect  his  con- 
science becomes,  the  easier  he  can  sin.  Of  course,  were 
his  conscience  perfect,  it  would  restrain  him  entirely. — 
Conscience  being,  therefore,  imperfect  and  fallible,  it  can- 
not be  an  infallible  minister  ofjustice. 

5.  The  more  perfect  one's  conscience,  the  less  aggrava- 
ted sins  he  commits.  Yet  such  a  conscience  punishes 
more  severely  for  trifling  offences  ;  than  less  perfect  con- 
sciences do  for  sins  of  greater  magnitude.  A  crime  re- 
peated, deserves  more  punishment  than  a  first  offence.  A 
jQung  man  becomes  drunk — he  recovers — refiecta — con- 


192  ARGUMENTS  AND  PRINCIPLES 

demns  himself  severely — feels  ashamed — and  looks  upon 
the  act  with  detestation  and  horronr.  After  a  little  he  be- 
comes intoxicated  a  second  time.  Now  he  deserves  a  se- 
verer punishment  than  he  did  before.  Bui  the  minister 
of  justice — conscience,  is  not  as  rigid  now  as  before — he  is 
punished  less  !  He  at  last  becomes  a  confirmed  sot.  Con- 
science has  gradually  grown  remiss — now  he  staggers  and 
reels  about  the  streets,  roils  in  the  filth,  and  turns  his  bloat- 
ed and  pustulated  face  upon  mankind  without  a  blush.  Is 
conscience  yet  an  infallible  minister  of  justice  ?  He  goes 
on  to  the  commission  ot  other  crimes,  till  his  conscience 
is  "seared  as  with  allot  iron."  Is  it  not  true  that  the  more 
he  sinned  the  less  conscience  punished  him  ?  It  must  be 
a  very  accommodating  kind  of  justice,  that  will  punish  us 
less  and  less  the  more  sin  we  commit !  This  is  sufficient 
to  show,  that  sin  is  not  uniformly,  invariably,  and  justly 
punished,  in  this  world ;  neither  externally  nor  internally. 
Hence,  it  follows,  that  if  sin  is  to  be  punished  it  must  be 
in  a  future  state. 

Paul  says,  "Because  he  hath  appointed  a  day,  in- the 
which  he  will  judge  the  world  in  righteousness,  by  that 
man  whom  he  hath  ©rdained  ;  whereof  he  hath  given  as- 
surance unto  all  men,  in  that  he  hath  raised  him  from  the 
dead." — Actsxvii.  31. 

Universalists  say  this  day  means  the  whole  of  this  world, 
so  that  all  men  are  thus  judged  as  they  pass  through  life. 
But  the  man  by  which  the  world  is  to  be  judged  is  allow- 
ed to  be  Christ.  And  universalists  generally  deny  that  he 
existed  till  the  christian  era.  How  did  he  judge  the  world 
in  this  life,  for  four  thousand  years,  before  he  existed  ?  Why 
did  not  Paul  say,  "  this  life  is  a  day  in  the  which  he  does 
judge  the  world,"  if  he  meant  so  ?  Instead  of  saying, 
"  whereof  he  hath  given  assurance  unto  all  men,  in  that 
he  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead,"  why  did  he  not  say, 
"whereof  he  hath  given  assurance  unto  all  men,  in  that 
he  is  now  judging  tliem  apcording  to  their  deeds  ?"     But 


OF  UNIVCI14AI*I»M   EXAM4:tCD.  IPS 

how  hath  he  given  assurance  unto  aJi  meu,  in  that  he  haih 
raised  Christ  from  the  dead?  Paul  proves  the  resurrec- 
tion of  mankind  from  the  resurrection  of  Christ.  There- 
fore, as  he  considers  the  fact  of  his  resurrection  proof  that 
we  shall  live  again,  so  he  considers  it  proof  also  that  he  will 
judge  the  world,  in  a  day  appointed,  and  not  already  come. 
Univerealists  get  hold  of  one  passage,  *' Behold  the  right- 
eous shall  be  recompensed  in  the  earth ;  much  more  tho 
wicked  and  the  sinner." — Prov.  xi :  31.  This  is  like  the 
proverbs  generally,  and  implies  a  general  truth.  It  is  sim- 
ply a  maxim.  And  implies  that  the  righteous  generally 
received  some  kind  of  recompense  in  time  as  well  as  sin- 
ners; but  does  not  imply  that  ihey  uniformly  and  invaria- 
bly received  it  in  this  life ;  nor  that  they  generally  receiv- 
ed it  all  in  the  earth.  Indeed,  we  quoted  a  text  in  the  last 
section,  where  our  Saviour  spoke  of  some,  who  could  cot 
be  recompensed  now,  but  should  be  recompensed  at  the 
resurrection  of  the  just. 

Again;  sin  is  not  invariably  and  justly  punished  by  hia- 
maa  tribunals;  because  all  such  tribuncils  are  imperfect, 
and  sometimes  clear  the  guilty  and  punish  the  innocent. — 
Besides,  such  tribunals  punish,  in  one  country,  what  they 
reward  in  others. 

2.  The  punishments  in  this  world,  so  far  from  reforraiig 
the  wicked,  do  not  generally  prevent  their  becoming  more 
and  more  abandoned. 

3.  These  punishments  do  not  vindicate  the  justice  of 
God;  because  men  know  not  whether  their  afflictions  are 
brought  upon  them  as  punishments  or  not.  As  the  good 
and  bad  here  are  subject  to  severe  trials;  even  unoffend- 
ing babes,  and  the  whole  animaP  creation,  it  is  impossible 
for  one  to  know,  whether  his  miseries  are  punishments  for 
his  sins,  or  such  sufferings  as  the  innocent  are  exposed  to 
S3  well  us  the  guilty.  There  have  been  many,  who  did  not 
believe  io  a  God  ;  of  course,  they  did  not  know  their  afflic- 
tions to  be  the  invariable  punishments  which  he  inflicted 
oa  them  lo  viodieate  his  justice.  17 


194  AReUMK.TTt  AND  PRiReirx.si 

4.  All  heathen  nations  hare  engrafted  the  doctrine  of  fu- 
ture punishment  into  their  rehgious  systems.  The  Jews 
have  it  in  their  ancient  writings.  The  Mussulmen  have  it 
iu  their  Koran.  And  all  christians  think  they  have  it  in 
their  Bible,  and  believe  it  truth,  except  a  modern  sect  of 
universalists.  Now  mankind  would  not  so  universally  be- 
lieve in  future  punishment,  if  they  knew  they  were  all  in- 
variably and  justly  punished  in  this  life.  And  let  us  ask, 
if  that  punishment,  which  is  inflicted  on  men  without  their 
knowing  it,  is  not  just  the  same  to  all  essential  purposes  as 
no  punishment  at  all?  Men  are  generally  sinners — the 
crimsoned  earth  groans  under  tieir  crimes.  All  know  it 
is  so.  And  are  certain  and  inevitable  and  just  punishments 
as  extensively  and  generally  inflicted  in  this  life,  and  yet 
none  but  universalists  know  it;  and  the  greatest  part  of 
them  seem  to  care  as  little  about  it,  as  if  they  believed  noth- 
ing in  it? 

5.  Bat  whence  came  this  general  belief  and  dread  of  fu- 
ture punishment?  It  could  not  so  extensively  prevail 
throughout  the  world,  and  all  ages  of  the  world,  by  mere 
accident.  It  must  then  be  the  result  of  a  natural  inclina- 
tion of  the  mind,  or  of  a  Divine  Revelation.  If  it  be  a  na- 
tural impression,  it  came  from  God ;  and  if  it  be  a  revela- 
tion, it  is  from  him  of  course.  Now  if  God  has  authorized 
the  impression,  universalists  are  engaged  with  "fearful 
odds"  in  their  attempts  to  deliver  mankind  from  the  burden 
of  such  impression ! 

6.  For  these  reasons,  you  may  persuade  people,-  in  theo- 
ry, that  they  will  be  invariably  and  justly  punished  in  this 
life,  for  all  their  sins;  and  they  will  feel  in  fact,  so  much 
uncertainty,  or  rather  so  much  certainty  that  they  do  not 
receive  it;  or  if  they  do,  it  is  impossible  for  them  to  realize 
it,  that  they  are  as  unconcerned  usually  about  punishment, 
as  ^though  they  believed  in  none.  But  universalist  preach- 
ers often  tell  their  hearers,  that  fear  of  punishment  is  no 
proper  induoemeBt  to  a  good  life.*    We  admit  men  should 


OF  DNITBRBALIBM  EXAMIIfXD.  195 

be  exercised  by  nobler  feelings ;  but  it  is  our  business  tv 
attend  to  things  as  ihey  are,  and  not  as  they  should  be. — 
There  are  thousands  of  good  christians,  who  were  once 
high  handed  sinners. — The  love  of  God  was  proclaimed  to 
tiiem  in  vain.  The  loving  kindness  and  affecting  death  of 
the  Savior.r,  in  vain.  The  moral  fitness  of  right,  the  beau- 
ty and  loveliness  of  virtue,  and  the  degradation  andodioue- 
ness  of  a  vicious  life,  in  vain.  But  when  the  violated  law 
of  a  holy  God,  opened  upon  their  mir/ds  in  awful  majesty  ; 
and  its  fearful  thunderings  thrilled  their  guilty  nerves  with 
fear;  tJien  they  began  the  work  of  reformation  in  'good 
earnest.  And  being  first  aroused  and  moved  to  action,  and 
broken  from  their  frozen  lethargy ;  they  soon  becanic 
warmed  and  melted  into  submission  and  filial  piety  by  the 
love  of  God.  There  are  thousauds  of  such,  in  all  denomi- 
nations of  christians,  who,  had  it  not  been  for  fear  of  pub- 
ishment,  would,  in  all  probability,  have  gone  on  unchanged 
to  more  confirmed  and  aggrav^ated  habits  of  vice. 

It  is  true,  the  Scriptures  teach  that,  "the  goodness  of 
God  leadeth  to  repentance,"  a  text  in  the  mouth  of  every 
universalist.  But  nothing  is  moie  certain,  than  that  the 
Bible  every  where  holds  out  the /ear  of  the  Lord — the/ear 
of  punishment  as  an  inducement  to  obedience.  *•  Serve  th« 
Lord  with /ear,  and  rejoice  with  trembling.'' — Ps.  ii :  11. 
**  The /ear  of  the  Lord  is  the  beginning  of  wisdom." — Prov. 
IX :  10.  *^Fear  God  and  keep  his  commandments;  for 
this  is  the  whole  duty  of  man.  For  God  shall  bring  every 
work  into  judgement,  with  every  secret  thing,  whether  it  b« 
good  or  whether  it  be  evil."— Ecle.  xii :  13,14.  "And 
fear  not  them  which  kill  the  body,  but  are  not  able  to  kill 
the  soul;  but  rather  fear  him  which  is  able  to  destroy 
both  soul  and  body  in  hell."— Mat.  x  :  28.  We  need  not 
multiply  quotations.  Every  threatening  of  punishment, 
scattered  along  through  the  Book  of  God — numerous — sdI- 

*The  author  used  to  preach/«ar  a«  an  indu««m»nt,  but  he  k«a 
beard  otheri  pr«ach  as  abore. 


106  AKOUMKr^Tg  AltD  T^IV^ITLXM 

emo — and  iremendons — are  so  many  appeals  to  our /ear  t» 
induce  as  to  repent  and  turn  from  ail  iniquity.  Oc«  grand 
object  of  the  Bible,  was  nianifestly  to  reveal  such  awful 
deoUDciationA  of  punishment,  as  that  men  should  cot  dare 
to  transgress.  And  those  men,  who  make  it  their  trade  to 
cavil  and  torture  and  screw  thia  foundation  of  fear  out  of 
the  Bible,  do  appear  to  us,  to  be  engaged  in  a  most  per- 
nicious ind  perilous  business.  Their  coasciencea  may  be 
9o  warped,  as  to  justify  thens.  But  we  believe  it  is  an  er- 
rour  ihat  is  to  result  eventually  in  the  looseness,  impiety, 
corruption,  and  misery  of  millions — that  it  will  only -«Ice- 
»er\'e  the  curses  of  posterity,  and  the  just  execration  of  all 
good  men,  who  love  their  couctry,  their  children,  or  them- 
selves. Were  it  in  our  power,  we  would  spread  out  *•  the 
terrours  of  the  Lord"  and  the  fear  of  punishment  upon  the 
minds  of  all,  so  as  to  counteract  their  propensities  to  sin; 
so  that  none  should  dare  to  transgress.  We  would  have 
Bono^r  only  enough  to  turn  him  from  iniquity.  But  we 
•annot  believe  that  the  world  is  to  suffer  any  thin?;  terrible, 
by  being  o/raifli  to  set  at  defiance  the  laws  of  God,  and  to 
langh  at  the  retributions  of  eternity. 


SECTION  VI. 

Fttiftr9 rttT'ibutie>n -prootd  by  impUcaticn^/rtm  tke  Scriptttm. 

There  are  a  voHmoHy  passsges  of  Scripture,  which,  frooa 
their  phraseology  and  connexion,  very  plainly  in^ply  a 
stateof  retribution  beyond  this  life.  We  shall  present  in 
this  section  many  such,  with  very  few  reni?rk3.  As  to  tbo 
Old  Testament,  we  do  not  think  it  teaches  much  about 
hereafter,  though  its  writers  seera  to  have  h:id  some  idea  of 
it.  For  this  reason,  w»  shall  omij  most  expressions  ther 
and  indsed,  many  in  tha  New  Te«t»ro?nt  must  ho  omitte<j, 
fcr  waBt  of  room. 


OF  UI<iXTBRSAil«M  JiXAMI5KB.  197 

*♦  That  the  wicked  is  reserred  to  the  day  of  destrttction ; 
ihey  shall  be  brought  forth  to  the  day  of  wrath." — Job  xxi : 
30.  "For  what  is  the  hope  of  the  hypocrite,  though  ho 
hath  gained,  when  God  taketh  away  his  soul  ?'* — Job  xxvii: 
8.  If  when  God  taketh  away  the  soul  of  the  hypocrite, 
he  puts  it  into  heaven,  we  should  think,  he  could  have  af 
good  a  hope  as  any  body  ! 

"Let  me  die  the  death  of  the  righteous,  and  let  my  last 
end  be  like  his." — iVumb.  xxiii :  10.  Why  so,  if  all  far« 
alike  at  death? 

"  Mark  the  perfect  man,  and  behold  the  upright :  for  th« 
end  of  that  man  is  peace.  But  the  transgressors  shall  bo 
destroyed ;  the  end  of  the  wicked  shall  be  cut  off." — P». 
XXXVII :  37,  38. 

"He  that  being  often  reproved,  hardeneth  his  neck, 
shall  suddenly  be  destroyed  and  that  without  remedy."—- 
Prov.  xjcix:  4.  The  writer  could  not  have  been  a  uuiver- 
fialist ;  for  if  so,  he  must  have  seen,  that  when  the  stiff 
necked  are  suddenly  destroyed,  they  have  a  remedy  in  im- 
mediate and  perfect  happiness.    ' 

"  For  behold,  the  day  cometh,  that  shall  burn  as  an  oven  ; 
and  all  the  proud,  yea,  and  all  that  do  wickedly,  shall  b« 
stubble :  and  the  day  that  cometh  shall  burn  them  up, 
saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  that  it  shall  leave  them  neither  root 
nor  branch." — Mal.iv:  1.  Universalists  have  displayed  do 
inconsiderable  ingenuity  in  making  this  day  the  Gospel 
day — the  iwming  of  that  day,  the  fire  of  divine  love;  the 
burning  up  of  the  wicked,  a  destruction  of  them  as  wicked, 
and  their  conversion  to  God.  But  the  construction  will 
not  satisfy  au  impartial  inquirer.  No  doubt  it  is  a  figura- 
tive prediction  of  the  overthrow  and  perdition  of  the  wick- 
ed ;  but  to  suppose  the  prophet  meant  it  as  a  precious 
promise  to  the  wicked,  as  their  construction  makes  it,  is 
ridiculous.  It  makes  the  prophet  promise  the  entire  and 
complete  salvation  of  all  the  wicked  ^rsf;  and  then  in  the 
iaext  verse  to  add  a  comfortable  promise  to  the  righteous, 


17 


J98  AROUMSZITS  AIV0  PKIIfCIPUUI 

•*  Bat  unto  you  that  fear  my  name  shall  the  «un  of  right- 
eousness arise  with  healing  in  his  wings."  And  then,  ac- 
cording to  their  construction,  having  promised  first  a  full 
salvation  to  all  the  wicked,  so  that  they  all  cease  to  exist  as 
sinners,  and  are  burned  up  by  the  love  of  God,  and  mad* 
saints;  he  promises  those,  that  fear  his  name,  the  healing 
sun  of  righteousness;  aod  last  of  all,  declares,  that '*  ye 
(that  is,  those  that  fear  his  name)  ih;  II  t;  ead  down  the  wick- 
ed; for  theyjshalJ  be  ashes  under  the  soles  of  yaiir  feet,  in 
ike  day  that  I  shall  do  this,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts."  If,  to 
have  the  wicked  burned  up,  and  their  ashes  scattered  under 
the  feet  of  the  righteous,  can  be  tortured  into  iheir  salva- 
tion, then,  any  thing  can  be  done. 

"Whose  fan  is  in  his  hand,  and  he  will  thoroughly 
purge  his  floor,  and  gather  his  wheat  into  the  garner;  but 
he  will  burn  up  tl?e  chaff  with  unquenchable  fire." — Mat. 
hi:  12.  Menraay  figure  this  away ;  but  we  doubt  not  our 
£aviour  alluded,  simply,  to  the  welcome  reception  of  the 
good,  and  the  perdition  of  the  bad ;  as  ickeat  and  chaff". 

** Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit;  for  tlieirs  is  the  king- 
domof  heaven." — Chapt.  v.  ver.  3.     Why  theirs? 

"Blessed  are  they  which  do  hunger  and  thirst  after  right- 
eousness; for  they  shall  be  filled." — Yer.6.  Will  they 
which  do  not  hunger,  Sec.  be  filled  as  much  ? 

"Blessed  are  the  merciful;  for  they  shall  obtain  mer- 
cy."— Ver.  7.     Will  the  unmerciful  obtain  mercy  too? 

"Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart;  for  they  shall  see  God.** 
Ver.  8.     Will  the  iir.pure  in  heart  see  God  too  ? 

"Blessed  are  ye  when  men  shall  revile  and  persccnte 
yon,  and  shall  say  all  manner  of  evil  against  you  falsely,  for 
my  saiie.  Rejoice  and  be  exceeding  glad  :  for  great  is  your, 
reward  in  heaven:  for  so  persecuted  they  the  prophete 
which  were  before  you." — Verses  11,  "* 2.  Will  their  per- 
secutors have  the  same  great  reward  in  heaven? 

•*ForI  say  onto  you,  that  except  your  righteousness 
shfill  ejieeeid  the  righteotisDera  ef  the  scribes  and  Pharieer*, 


OF  UMIVSRSALISM  XXAMINED.  199 

y*  ihaU  in  bo  ease  enfer  into  the  kingdom  of  heareD." — 
Ver.  20.  But  if  they  should  not  be  rigl  teens  enough  to 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  might  they  not  gel  into 
iieaven  itself? 

'•Enter ye  in  at  the  strait  gate:  for  vride  is  the  gate.  Rod 
broad  18  the  way,  that  leadeth  to  destruotion,  and  many 
there  be  which  go  in  thereat.  Becanse  strait  is  the  gat«, 
and  narrow  is  the  way,  which  leadefh  unto  life;  and  few 
there  be  that  finu  it." — Chapt.  rii.  verses  13, 14.  Compar« 
this  with  Luke,  iSth  Chap.  23 — 28,  for  Christ's  own  cono- 
ment:  as  our  opponents  consider  him  a  universalist,  l«t 
them  see  how  ht  taught  the  doctrine. 

"Not  every  one  thatsaith  unto  me  Lord,  Lord,  shall  ti- 
ter into  the  kingdom  of  heaven;  but  he  that  doerh  the  will 
of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven." — Ver.  21.  But  if  b« 
that  doelh  his  will  may  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven ; 
may  not  he  that  doeth  it  not,  but  saith  Lord,  Lord,  enter 
into  koavtn?  "And  then  1  will  profess  unto  them,  I  never 
knew  you  ;  depart  from  me,  y«  that  work  iniquity.'*— Ver. 
23. 

**  Verily  I  say  unto  yon,  it  shall  be  more  tolerable  fer 
the  land  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  in  the  day  of  judgement, 
than  for  that  city." — Chapt.  x,  ver.  15.  "And  ye  sludl 
l>«  haced  of  all  men  for  my  name's  s^ke,  but  he  that  endwr- 
eth  to  the  end  shall  be  saved." — Ver.  22.  Will  he  b«i*- 
ved  if  he  endureth  not  to  the  ead  ? 

"  Whosoever,  therefore,  shall  confess  me  before  mca, 
hiai  will  I  confess  also  before  my  Father  which  is  in  heav- 
en; but  whosoever  shall  deny  mo  before  men,  him  will  I 
also  deny  before  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven." — Ver.  32, 
33.  Though  he  deny  them  before  his  Father  in  heaves, 
^ill  he  own  and  save  them  in  heaven? 

"But  I  say  unto  you,  it  shall  be  more  tolerable  for  Tyre 
«nd  Sidon  at  the  day  of  judgement  than  for  you. "—Chapt, 
XI,  ver.  22.  "Butl  say  unto  yoti,  that  every  idle  word 
tVxat  men  shall  epcak,  they  .-shall  give  an  accotsnt  thereof  in 
i.hn  iaj  of  judpemeBt.''— Chapt.  xn,  v«r.  3fJ. 


200  ARSUMKNTS  AJ»D  PRIKCirLEC 

"Then  go©th  he,  and  taketh  with  himself  terea  other 
spirits  more  wicked  thaa  himself,  and  they  enter  in  and 
dwoll  there,  and  the  last  state  of  that  man  is  worse  than  the 
first." — Ver.  45.  Yet,  will  there  be  another  state  later  than 
the  /fiw^  which  shall  be  better  than  the  Jirst  or  last  either? 

"The  field  is  the  world,  (cosmos,  the  literal  world  which 
we  inhabit.)  The  good  seed  are  the  children  of  the  king- 
dom ;  but  the  tares  are  the  children  of  the  wicked  one. — 
The  enemy  that  sowed  them  is  the  devil ;  (not  that  created 
them^  but  sowed  them — placed  them  in  a  situation  to  grow 
and  increase  in  sin)  the  harvest  is  the  end  of  the  (aionos) 
world;  (not  literally  toor/rf ;  but  «toie,  or  state  of  things; 
meaning,  as  tho  context  vfouXd'xm^pXy,  this  state  of  heing) 
and  the  reapers  are  the  angels.  As  therefore,  the  tares 
nre  gathered  and  burned  in  the  fire,  so  shall  it  be  in 
the  end  of  this  (aionos)  state  of  being.  The  son  of  man 
shall  send  forth  his  angels;  and  they  shall  gather  out  of 
his  kingdom  all  things  that  offend,  and  them  which  do  iniqui- 
ty ;  and  shall  cast  them  into  a  furnace  of  fire:  there  fehall 
be  wailing  and  gnashing  of  teeth." — Chapt.  xiii,  ver.  38 — 
42.  It  is  admitted  the  "  furnace  of  fire,"  &c.  is  figurative ; 
but  is  used  in  the  Scriptures  to  denote  extreme  suffering; 
and  here  denotes  such  suffering  after  this  state  shall  end. 
See  verses  47 — 60. 

"And  said,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  except  ye  be  convert- 
ed, and  become  as  little  children,  ye  shall  not  enter  into  th« 
kingdom  of  heaven." — Chap,  xviii.  3.  See  Matt.  xxii. 
13;  also  XXV.  11,12. 

"  For  what  shall  it  profit  a  man,  if  he  shall  gain  the  whoU 
world,  and  lose  his  own  soul.^^ — Mark  viii.  36.  On  this 
passage,  univeralists  contend  that  soul  is  psuken  from  the 
Greek  noun  psulce,  which  is  the  same  word  that  is  render- 
ed life  in  the  35th  verse  and  also  in  the  37th.  This  is  true. 
They  contend  it  has  the  same  sense  in  the  36th  verse,  and 
should  be  rendered  life  here  also.  With  regard  to  that, 
we  say  we  are  satisfied  with  the  translation  ns  it  is :  becau«« 


•  F  tJNiriRSALISM  EXAKl  P-Xrv. 


201 


although  life  is  its  true  meaning,  it  is  not  its  only  meaning. 
Parkhurst,  in  his  Lexicon,  proves  the  word  to  have  nin« 
meanings.  Breath  istheiirBt;  Animal  lifs  the  second  ;  a 
Living  animal  the  third  ;  the  Minian  body  the  fourth ;  and 
the  human  soul  or  spirit  as  distinguished  from  the  body  the 
fiftB.  But  admitting  their  translation;  **For  what  shall  it 
profit  a  man,  if  he  gaia  the  whole  world,  and  lose  his  own 
lifet"  if  there  be  no  punishment  beyond- death,  we  could 
answer;  he  would  rain  all  the  kingdoms  of  enrtb;  ail  tha 
power  in  the  world;  si!  the  wealth  in  the  world;  ;ili  th« 
pleasures  of  the  world;  all  the  honour,  fame,  and  affection 
of  the  world;  and  then  lose  his  life,  and  go  to  heaven  ; 
which  would  be  adding  glory  to  glory!  How  easy 
thus  to  plunge  into  crime,  murder,  and  blood,  to  gain  tha 
whole  world,  with  a  full  assurance,  that  if  he  lost  his  life  in 
the  enlerprize,  he  would  be  still  more  sure  of  success? 

"And  Jesus  answered  and  ssid,  verily  I  suy  unto  yon, 
there  is  no  man  thai  hath  left  house  or  brethren,  or  sisters, 
or  father,  or  mother,  or  wife,  or  children,  or  lands,  for  ony 
sake,  and  the  Gospel's,  but  he  shall  receive  an  hundred  fold 
now  in  this  time,  houses  and  brethren,  and  sisters,  and 
mothers,  and  children  and  lands,  with  persecutions;  mid  in 
the  (aioni  to  erJcomeno)  world  to  come  (or  state  of  being  t« 
«ome)  eternal  life."— Mark  x:  29,  SO.  This  certainly  im- 
pliewi  that  thera  is  a  reward  in  the  future  state,  even  ©iernai 
hfc. 

'^*Ke  that  beiieTcth  and  is  baptized,  shall  be  saved  ;  but 
he  that  beliefeth  not  shall  le  damned,"  (or  condemned.) — 
Now  when  it  is  considered,  that  Jesus  was  sending  out  his 
disciples  to  preach  to  the  world,  which  every  where  believ- 
ed already,  that  the  good  would  be  saved,  and  tho  bad 
would  becondemned;  must  not  his  disciples  have  under- 
stood him,  that  such  as  heard  them,  and  believed  in  him  as 
thsBon  of  God,  and  were  baptiacd  into  his  religion,  woul<l 
l>e  saved  in  a  simHsr  «en8«  to  thtt  generftlly  believed  in,  that 
15,  ia  a  fufura  paradise  :  and  thut  thosa,  wba  would  aot  h^ 


S02  AROUMENT*  AND  rRINCIl»LE« 

lieve,  should  be  condemned,  in  their  sense  ofcondemnatioa, 
that  is,  to  the  abodes  of  darkness  and  misery?  We  cannot 
for  our  life,  in  caudnur,  come  to  any  other  conclusion. 

"But  wo  unto  you  that  are  rich,  for  ye  have  received 
your  consolation." — Luke  vii :  24.  This  implies  that  the 
rich,  who  trust  in  riches  and  are  haughty  and  oppressive, 
are  now  taking  their  comfort;  but  this  is  the  day  of  their 
consolation;  because  a  day  of  wo  aud  vengeance  is  in  re- 
serve for  them.  "For  what  is  a  man  advantaged,  if  he  gain 
the  whole  world,  and  lose  himself  or  be  cast  away  ?" — Luk« 
IX :  25.  This  explains  Mark  viii :  36;  and  gives  us  to 
understand  the  losing  the  soul  or  /(/e,  to  signify  to  be  cast 
away^  not  saved. 

"Then  said  one  unto  him.  Lord,  are  there  few  that  b« 
saved  ?  and  he  said  iiato  them,  strive  to  enter"  in  at  th« 
strait  gate  :  for  many  I  say  unto  you,  will  seek  to  enter  in 
and. shall  not  be  able.  When  once  the  master  of  the  house 
is  risen  up,  and  hath  shut  to  the  door,  and  ye  begin  to  stand 
withiout,  and  to  knock  at  the  door,  saying,  Lord,  Lord, 
open  unto  us;  and  he  shall  answer  and  say  unto  you,  I 
know  you  not  whence  ye  are.  Then  shall  ye  begin  to 
say,  we  have  eaten  and  drunk  in  thy  presence,  and  thou 
hast  taught  in  our  streets.  But  he  shall  say,  I  tell  you 
I  know  you  not  whence  ye  are ;  depart  from  me  all  ye 
workers  of  iniquity.  There  shall  be  weeping  and  gnash- 
ing of  teeth,  when  ye  shall  see  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  aud 
Jacob,  and  all  the  prophets  in  the  kingdom  of  God, 
and  you  yourselves  thrust  out." — Luke  xiii :  23 — 28. — 
Universalists  have  invented  an  explanation  to  this  passage, 
of  course,  but  no  sophistry  can  ever  make  their  exposition 
any  thing  more  than  a  palpable'  evasion.  And  just  as  ea- 
sily might  any  expression,  that  Christ  could  have  made, 
have  been  evaded.  A  Jew,  knowing  the  common  doctrine 
of  future  retribution,  and  wishing  to  know  Christ's  opin- 
ion about  itj  inquired,  "  Lord  are  there  few  that  be  saved?^* . 
Docs  the  ajMwtr  look    as  if  Jesus  wisfeed  to    correct  the 


or  UmyKRSALIBM  EXAMlItBB.  203 

prevailing  errour,  that  some  would  not  be  saved,  and  to 
proselyte  the  inquirer  to  UDiversalisra  ?  His  language 
not  only  confirmed  the  common  opinion  ;  but  he  took  oc- 
casion so  to  shape  his  answer  as  to  let  the  Jews  know  that 
many  of  them,  with  all  their  spiritual  pride,  would  be  ex- 
cluded. "  For  I  say  unto  you,  that  none  of  those  men 
which  were  bidden,  shall  taste  of  ray  supper." — Ch.  xiv.  24. 

"Verily,  verily,  1  say  unto  thee,  except  a  man  be  born 
again,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God." — John  iii.  3. — 
Of  this  it  is  said,  that  to  see  the  kingdom  of  God,  or  enter 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  which  are  phrases  often  used, 
means,  to  enter  into  the  enjoyment  of  Christ's  spiritual  reign 
and  influence  here,  and  has  no  reference  to  the  salvation  of 
meu.  By  a  little  attention  to  the  use  of  these  phrases  in 
the  New  Testament,  we  shall  find  that  people  did  then  un- 
derstand them  to  refer  to  salvation  ;  So  that  to  enter  into 
the  kingdom  of  God,  or  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  was  gen- 
erally understood  as  we  understand  the  phrase  to  be  saved. 
(See  Luke  xviii.  26.  with  its  context;  also  Mark  x.  26  ; 
and  Matth.  xix.  25.) — An  examination  of  these,  will  show, 
that  such  sense  was  given  to  the  expression,  in  the  days 
of  Christ.  Hence,  it  is  clear  as  any  thing  in  the  Bible, 
that  Jesus  did  mean  to  be  understood  by  Nicodemus,  that 
unless  a  man  should  be  spiritually  regenerated,  he  could 
not  be  admitted  to  the  celestial  abodes  of  the  blessed.  And 
why  such  language  should  be  used  by  the  Saviour,  if  all 
were  certainly  to  be  immortal  and  happy,  the  next  moment 
after  death,  or  as  some  would  say,  the  next  moment  of 
conscious  existence,  we  cannot  conceive. 

"For  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  be- 
gotten son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not  per- 
ish, but  have  everlasting  life." — Ch.  iii.  16. — If  this  does 
not  imply,  that,  whosoever  believeth  not,  should  perish,  and 
not  have  everlasting  life ;  then,  there  is  no  meaning  in  lan- 
guage, and  nothing  at  all  is  taught  in  the  Bible. 

"  Whoso  eateth  my  flesh,  and  drinketh  my  blood,  hath 


104  A»eUMEJTTi   JkVD   PRINCIPLM 

eternal  life  ;  and  I  mil  raise  him  up  at  the  loit  day. — Ch. 
VI.  54.  That  (zoen  aionion,)  etemai  life^'m  this  text  and 
most  others,  gignifiea  an  endlegg  enjoyment  of  Christ,  is 
as  clear  as  the  sense  of  any  expressions  can  be,  though 
believers  are  said  to  begin  this  everlasting  life  here.  It  is 
emphatically  eternal  and  undying  in  its  nature.  And  to 
confirm  his  auditors,  that  he  meant  the  salvation  of  heaven, 
he  added  the  clause,  "  and  i  will  raise  hira  up  at  the  last 
day.'*  Does  not  this  imply,  that  possibly  some  might  not 
be  raised  up  at  the  last  day  ? 

*'  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  if  a  man  keep  my  say- 
ing, he  shall  never  see  death." — Ch.  viii.  51.  Docs  not 
this  mean  the  second  death  ? 

**  He  that  rejecleth  me,  and  receiveth  not  ray  vrords, 
hath  one  that  judgeth  him  :  the  word  that  I  have  spoken, 
th»  same  shall  judge  him  in  the  last  day." — Ch.  xii.  48. 
This  language  docs  not  imply,  that  Christ  was  always 
judging  (he  world,  and  that  eiu  always  punishes  itself,  and* 
virtue  always  rewards  itself,  without  any  farther  judgement; 
but  the  implication  appears  overwhelming  to  ua,  that  ther« 
shall  be  a  general  judgement — the  last  day — not  the  whole 
time  from  the  beginning  of  time  to  the  end,  but  a  day  ap- 
pointed '*  in  the  which  he  will  judge  the  world  ;  not  dogs 
judge,  the  world,  but  tcill  judge  it. 

"  And  by  hira  all  that  believe  are  justified  from  all  things, 
from  which  ye  could  not  be  justified  by  the  law  of  Moses." 
— Acta  XIII.  39.  Compare  thi«  with  verse  46,  "  but  see- 
ing ye  put  it  from  you,  and  judge  yourselves  unworthy  of 
everlasting  life,  lo,  we  turn  to  the  Gentiles."  Do  not  these, 
with  multitudes  of  other  similar  passages,  imply,  that  the 
wilful  opposers  of  Christ  would  not  be  justified  by  him  ? 

'*  And  as  he  reasoned  of  righteousness,  temperance,  and 
judgement  to  come,  Felix  trembled." — Acts  xxiv.  25. — 
Did  Luke  here  moan,  that  Paul  reasoned  of  a  judgement, 
which  had  already  come,  and  which  consisted  in  the  re- 
proofs of  conscience,  and  otbor  temporal  events,  that  mado 
Felix  tremble  ? 


OF  UNIVERSALISM  EXAMINED. 


20.J 


*'  But  after  thy  hardness  and  impenitent  heart  treasurest 
up  unto  thyself  wrath  against  the  dajj  of  wrath,  and  revela- 
tion of  the  righteous  judgement  of  God;  who  will  ren- 
der to  every  man  according  to  his  deeds." — Rom.  ii.  5,  6. 
Did  Paul  mean,  that  they  treasured  up  wrath  against  the 
present  day  of  wrath,  and  present  revelation  of  the  judgement 
of  God,  who  does  lender  to  every  man  according  to  his 
deeds?  Or  did  he  allude  to  a  judgement  soon  to  come 
upon  Jerusalem  ;  and  that  the  Romans  were  iuhabitanls  of 
Jerusalem  ?     We  think  neither. 

'*For  as  many  as  have  sinned  without  law  shall  also  per- 
ish without  law;  and  as  many  as  have  sinned  in  the  law 
shall  be  judged  by  the  law.  In  the  day  when  God  shall 
judge  the  secrets  of  men  by  Jesus  Christ  according  to  my 
gospel." — Rom.  ii.  12,  16,  leaving  out  the  parenthesis. 
Did  he  mean  that  they  were  judged  then,  and  that  then 
was  the  day  ? 

'*  Brethren,  my  heart's  desire  and  prayer  to  God  for  Is- 
rael is  that  they  might  be  saved." — Rom.  x.  1. — Does  this 
anxiety  imply  that  he  knew  they  all  would  be  saved 
whether  or  no  ?  If  it  be  thought  Paul  is  all  the  time 
speaking  of  a  present  salvation  which  all  enjoyed  in  be- 
lieving, the  moment  they  beheved,  we  ask,  if  he  alluded  to 
the  behever's  present  salvation,  in  Chap.  xiii.  11,  "For 
now  is  our  salvation  nearer  than  when  we  believed  ?" 

"Know  ye  not  that  the  unrighteous  shall  not  inherit  the 
kingdom  of  God  ?  Be  not  deceived ;  neither  fornicators,  nor 
idolators,  nor  adulterers,  nor  effeminate,  nor  abusers  of 
■themselves  with  mankind ;  nor  thieves,  nor  covetous,  nor 
drunkards,  nor  revilers,  nor  extortioners,  shall  inherit  the 
kingdom  of  God." — I.  Cor.  vi.  9, 10. — The  objector  will  say 
to  this ;  certain  such  characters  will  not  be  saved  ;  but  such 
will  be  regenerated  and  cease  to  be  such  characters  ;  so 
that  although,  no  such  persons  will  be  saved,  yet  all  men 
will  be  saved.     For  Paul  in  the  next  words,  verse  11.  says, 

''-  And  such  ivere  some  of  you  ;  but  ye  are  washed,  but  ye 

18 


20(3  ARGUME>-TS  A>"D  PIll>'CIPLE3 

»rc  sanctified ;"  &c.  so  diat  all  meu  may  be  washed  and  si?rfc- 
tified,  as  well  as  the  Corinthian  brethren.  Now  we  think 
this  a  very  flimsy  evasion.  Wiiy  could  some  who  had  beei: 
Siich  characters  inherit  the  iiingdom  of  God  ?  ,Becaus3  tli- 
were  converted  and  reformed,  in  this  life.  .  Well,  are  ai; 
such  characters  reformed  and  sanctiiied  in  this  life  ?  No. 
Then  what  evidence  does  the  eleventh  verse  alibrd  that  n; 
sQch  shall  bo  saved  ?  None  at  all.  But  does  not  the 
language  together  plainly  imply ;  and  was  it  not  evidently 
used  for  the  express  purpose,  to  teach,  that  unless  such 
characters  did  reform  in  this  life,  they  could  uot  be  saved  1 
Nothing  could  be  plainer.  Did  the  apostle  mean  thu^, 
"  Be  not  deceived — neither  fornicators,  idolators,  thieves, 
uor  drunkards,"  &:.c.  shall  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God  ;  but 
yet  ail  shall  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God  ;  because  some  '■ 
you  were  such,  and  ye  are  reformed  and  sanctified  ;  and 
ail  shall  certainly  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God,  the  first 
moment  of  iheir  next  existence  whetiier  they  are  washed 
and  sanctined  here  or  not?"  Such  an  evasion  might  do 
for  a  pettifogger,  where  facts  and  evidences  v/ere  entirely 
against  his  case;  but  for  a  divine,  with  whom  the  Bible  has 
any  consideration,  it  cannot  do. 

*'I  am  made  all  things   to  nil  men,  that  1  might  by  all 
means  save  som©."' — I.  Cor.  ix.  22.     Saved  from  what 
Not  from  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  ;  for  he  refers   : 
those,  who  did  not  live  at  Jerusalem  as  well 'as  those  wl: 
did.     AVas  it  from  their  sins,  that  they    might   enjoy  th 
comforts  of  Christianity  in  this  life  ?     Did  the  apostles  toi; 
and  bleed,  from  land  to  land,  and  labour  v.i'h  such  intens 
anxiety,  to   convert  people  to  Christianity  ;  knowing  th: 
adl  their  converts  would  drl^ik   the    cup  of  affliction  to  i 
verv  dregs,  would  be  deprived  of  every    earthly  comfor: 
and  sulfcr  every   kind  of  persecution;  and   knowing  toe. 
that  all  would  be  saved  in  the   next  state,  whatever  they 
might  do  here  ?     Put  the  position  thus;  Jesus    and  lb 
apostles  ktiew  that  all  would  certainly  be  happy  the  mo 


OF  UXiVKRSALl^iM  K  X  AMI  >' J!'i>.  -vi* 

w.eui  they  enter  upon  another  state  of  beiiig.  They  knew 
that  aJi  wonid  be  bunled  down  like  wild  beasts,  Tiud  suffer 
!;c!  most  excruciating  tortures,  who  should  embrace  chris- 
:  itjity  in  that  age  of  the  world  ?  Therefore,  they  \7ontto 
orii,  wirh  indefatigable  labour  and  toil,  to  gain  as  raany  as 
[possible  to  the  faith,  which  v/ould  do  theitt  no  good  in  ths 
next  world,  and  would  expose  them  to  the  most  barbarous 
c'lucllies  in  this!  They  engaged  in  this  v^'orh,  with  adeep 
and  unconquerable  ardour^  and  willingly  suffered  and  died 
for  it  !  We  have  always  supposed  Jesus  and  the  apostles 
10  havo  been  actuated  by  benevolence  in  their  sufferings: 
hut  if  this  Vvere  true,  they  were  so  ferocious — so  niuch  more 
inhuman  than  savages,  that  they  would  sj^fler  a  life  of  pro- 
tracted torments  and  a  cruel  death  theuiselves,  for  the  sake 
of  bringing  others  into  the  same  miseries ! ! !  And  did  mil- 
lions of  early  christians  (who,  it  is  said,,  were  universalists) 
writhe  ia  chains,  groan  in  dungeons ;  parents  leaving  tender 
children,  and  children  their  jiarents,  to  go  and  blister  m 
/lames ;  just  for  the  sake  of  the  comforts  of  Christianity  here  ? 
What  present  bliss,  did  Jesus  promise  them,  but  persecu- 
tions and  stripes  ?  But  Paul  said,  "  there  is  laid  vp  for  me 
a  crown  of  righteousness,  which  the  Lord,  the  righteous 
judge  shall  give  me  at  that  day.''' — II.  Tin.  iv.  8. — Was  it 
his  jircsent  enjoyment  that  was  laid  up  forte  bo  given  hira 
::t  that  day  ? 

"  For  our  light  a/inction,   v.diich  is  but   for  a  moment, 

.  orketh  for  us  a  far  move  exceeding  and   eternal    weight 

ofgioiy." — \l.  Cor.   iv.  j7. — Did   this   eternal   weight  of 

lory  signify  tiie  ])rosent   reward  of  righteousness?     Or 

ould  he   enjoy  tlje  "eternal   weight  of  glory,"   without 

iduriog  the  "  afiiiction"  which  "  worketh"  it  ? 

"For  we  must  all  appear  before  the  judgement  seat  of 

luist;  that  every  one  may  receive  the  things  (done)  ia 

(his)  body  according  to  that  he  hath  done,  whether  (it  be) 

rood  or  bad."— II.  Cor.  v.  10.— Were  the  apostlb  and  his 

■rihriin  then  opip earing  \n  judgament,  and  ih»n  raceivirig 


208  ARGUiJE?;TS  A>'D  rai>"CIPLE3 

the  things  according  to  their  actions  ?  Or  was  this  judge- 
ment "the  destruction  of  Jerusalem?"  The  "dcsirnctioD 
of  Jerusalem"  is  a  very  acconirnodnting  circumstance  for 
uuiversalists:  but  how  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  could 
be  a  judgement  for  Paul,  in  thi.^  life,  who  died  before  that 
event  took  place,  and  especially,  for  the  Corinthians,  who 
lived  in  a  city  at  a  great  distance  from  Judea  and  Jerusalem, 
we  have  not  learning  enough  to  see  ! 

•'  For  he  that  soweth  to  his  fiesh  shall  of  the  flesh  reap 
corruption;  but  he  that  soweth  to  the  spirit  shi.y  of  the 
spirit  reap  life  everlasting." — Gal.  vi.  B. — Does  this  mean, 
that  he  shall  reap  "  life  everlasting"  let  him  sow  as  he  will  ? 
"  And  let  us  not  be  weary  in  well  doing ;  for  in  due  season, 
we  shall  reap,  if  we  faint  not." — Verse  9. — Did  he  mean 
that  they  were  then  reaping  everlasting  life  "in  due  sea- 
sou"  if  they  fainted  not  ? 

"  For  many  walk  of  whom  I  have  told  you  often,  and 
now  tell  you  even  weeping,  that  they  are  the  enemies  of 
the  cross  of  Christ :  whose  end  isdestniction  ;  whose  God 
is  their  belly,  and  whose  glory  is  in  their  shame." — Phil. 
III.  18,  19. — Does  this  mean,  who  now  suffer  destruc- 
tion, but  whose  end  is  salvation  ? 

"  But  he  that  docth  wrong  shall  receive  (not  does  receive) 
for  the  wrong  which  he  hath  done,  and  there  is  no  respect 
of  persons." — Col.  in.  25. 

"•  And  being  made  perfect  he  became  the  author  of  eter- 
nal salvation  unto  all  them  that  obey  bira." — Heh.  v.  9. — 
Did  Paul  know  that  he  became  the  author  of  eternal  salva- 
tion to  ail  them  that  obey  him  not  ? 

"  For  if  we  sin  wilfully  after  that  we  Lave  received  the 
knowledge  of  the  truth,  there  remaineth  no  more  sacrifice 
for  sins;  but  a  certain  fearful  looking  for  of  juugen)ent  and 
fiery  indignation,  which  shall  devour  the  adversaries." — 
Uch.  X.  26. 27. — Paul  knew  '*  a  fearful  looking  for  of  judge- 
ment and  fiery  indignation"  prevailed  among  the  wicked. 
Whv,  if  he  was  a  univirsalisl,  did  he  not  fear  such  "heart 


OF  UJSlVERSALlSM  EXAMINED.  209 

withering"  apprehensions  would  make  the  poor  felloATS  in- 
Hdne  ;  and  tell  them  to  banish  their  fears  ;  for  then  was  all 
the  judgement  they  need  to  apprehend  ;  and  all  the  "/en/ 
jndiguutiou"  was  only  a  Pagan  superstition,  invented  to  tor- 
ment the  feelings  of  honest  men,  and  sustain  the  interests 
of  i)riesicraft  ?     Paul  was  certainly  not  so  fearless  a  uni- 
versalist  preacher,  a^  ihis  age  of  improvements  produces. 
"He  that  desj)ised  Moses'  law  died  v/ithout  mercy  under 
\vo  or  thres  witnesses;  of  how  much  sorer  punishment, 
appose  ye,  he  shall  be  thought  worthy,  who  has  trodden 
under  foot  the  Son  of  God,  and  hath  counted  the  blood  of 
the  covenant,  wherewith  he  was  sanctified,  an  unholy  thing, 
ud  has  done  despite  unto  the  spirit  of  grace." — Ilch.  x.  28, 
Zj. — The  first  punishment   was   to    die   without  mercy. 
The  second  is  much  sorer,  yet  does  it  mean  a  deliverance 
irom  all  trouble,   and  a  reinstatement  in  divine  favour  and 
glory  ?     No  wonder  the  kind  work  of  doing  away  the  doe- 
trine  of  future   retril))Uion,  carries  i^.way    the  Bible  in  the 
minds  of  many  along  with  it. 

"  It  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living 
God." — Heh.  X.  -31. — Yes,  says  the  psendo  philosophy  of 
aniversalism,  we  are  already  in  his  hands,  and  can  never 
all  into  them  :  and  if  we  should,  we  have  nothing  to  fear, 
Tor  every  thing  mwi'f  be  overruled  for  our  good. 

"And  others  had  trials  of  cruel  moicdfeingsi^wid  rcourg- 
ings,  yea,  mooe©*v«r,.'  of  bonds  and   nuprisonments  :  they 
■  ere  stoned^  they  were  sawn  asunder,  were  tempted,  were 
lain  with  the  sword  :  they  wandered  about  in  sheep  skins, 
nd  goat  skins;  being  destitute,  afflicted,   tormented:  (of 
whom  the  world  was  not  worthy)  they  wandered  in  deserts 
and  in  mountains,  and  in  dens  and  caves  of  the  earth." — 
Hch.  XI.  06,  S7,  38. — Were  these  men  thus   afflicted,  in 
this'life,  as  a   reward  for  their   superiour  goodness,   the 
world  not  being  worthy  of  them  ?     Poor  encouragement, 
we  should  think,  for  a  good  life,    if  this   were    all  the  re- 
ward  they  had    to   expect  !     Yet  this  is   the  reward  that 

18  * 


210  ARGUKEJfTS  AfiJ)  rRl5CIPL£S 

hundreds  of  thousands  of  pious  and  good  men  have  receiv- 
ed in  this  vale  of  tears  I  They  have  enjoyed  a  good  con- 
science to  be  sure.  But  their  persecutors  have  also  often 
enjoyed  the  same.  A  good  man  has  a  good  conscience  ; 
but  a  bad  man  has  a  bad  conscience.  Hence  a  good  man's 
good  conscience  will  sting  him  about  as  much  for  his  small 
sins,  as  the  bad  man's  bad  conscience  will  sting  him  for 
his  great  sins.  Some  men  will  feel  as  much  smitten  for 
an  unguarded  and  injurious  expression,  as  others  will  for 
a  secret  robbery  -'md  murder.  Conscience  is  not  that  uni- 
form, invariable  minister  of  justice  that  renders  to  all  men 
according  to  their  deeds,  as  we  have  shown  in  the  prece- 
ding section.  Many — very  many  commit  the  most  flag- 
rant enormities,  with  little  compunctions  of  conscience; 
and  yet  riot  in  all  the  luxuries  and  fortunes  of  life.  Many 
look  upon  their  villainies  with  complacency  ;  and  exult  in 
the  misfortunes  and  miseries  they  produce.  Look  at  yon 
pensive  widow — pious,  industrious,  virtuous,  but  poor. 
Long  since  the  grave  of  her  bosom  companion  was  be- 
dewed with  the  tears  of  undying  affection.  She  has  lived 
and  reared  an  only  daughter — on  the  child  have  lingered 
the  last  ties  that  bound  the  widowed  mother  to  earth— 
around  the  child  clustered  the  virtues  and  graces  that 
promised  to  reward  the  sleepless  anxieties  and  toils  of  the 
lonely  parent — around  her  brightened  the  happy  visions  of 
a  mother's  last  hopes  and  sweetest  prosi>ects.  But  there 
was  a  worm  to  poison  this  tender  plant.  A  gentleimm,  in 
higher  life,  talented,  fascinating,  artful,  and  who  had  no 
concern  about  a  future  reckoning,  became  her  admirer  ; 
he  flatteredi  and  vowed,  and  promised — and  conquered  ! 
He  has  gone  ;  and  now  mingles  unconcerned  and  unsmit- 
ten  in  other  scenes,  and  unblushing  seeks  another  victim ! 
Such  is  his  guilt,  and  such  his  reward,  in  this  life  !  But 
cast  an  eye  upon  the  cottage,  where  innocence  and  meek- 
ness and  piety,  recently  inspired  the  swelling  hope,  and 
mingled  misfortune  with  sweetness.     Count  the  tears  and 


OF  UNIVKRSAI>ISM  EXAMINED.  211 

sighs,  as  the  mother's  bosom  lieaves  with  anguish  unutter- 
able ;  and  the  unsleeping  pangs  that  rend  the  soul  of  the 
heartbroken  and  distracted  daughter  !  Do  all  these  re- 
ceive in  this  life,  according  to  their  guilt?  How  often  do 
such  men  prowl  along,  solaced  and  proud  of  their  trophies, 
till  several  hapless  beings  have  fallen  ;  and  at  last  die  in 
delirium,  through  excessire  indulgence  !  Do  they  wake 
up  in  glory  ?  But  there  are  other  ways  of  iniquity — innu- 
merable kinds  of  vice,  of  wickedness,  and  successful  crime  ; 
where  people  triumph  in  the  ruin  they  liave  caused,  and 
laugh  at  the  tears  that  follow  their  criminal  career  !  Shall 
we  softly  and  gently  tell  them,  they  ought  nut  to  do  so,  far 
fear  it  will  disturb  their  consciences  1  B>it  whether  they 
do  or  not,  all  will  be  well  when  they  die  ?  No.  Give 
them  no  such  preposterous  expectations.  Let  the  Deity 
be  heard  in  thunder  upon  their  crimes  ;  until  deep  contri- 
tion and  reformation  wash  away  their  stains  or  bring  them 
to  Christ.  Till  they  do  that,  let  them  dream  of  naught 
but  damnation !  Let  dungeons  of  horrour,  perjured  and 
bloody  companion^,,  storms  of  wrath,  and  the  sighs  of  wrong- 
ed and  injured  ghosts,  echoing  from  the  towering  jlanies, 
haunt  their  dreams  and  sting  their  consciences.  So  let  the 
guilty  live,  or  let  them  reform.  A  conscience,  thus  haunt- 
ed with  forebodings  of  retribution,  might  be  some  punish- 
ment, and  might  tend  to  reformation.  But  remove  the/ear 
of  future  punishment  from  the  minds  of  those,  who  have 
no  moral  principle,  and  you  unchain  the  ti:5er ;  and  he 
will  pounce  upon  every  victim  within  his  grasp.  This  is 
the  world  as  it  is  ;  not  as  we  would  like  to  have  it  be.  We 
should  like  to  haVe  all  good  and  happy,  both  here  and 
hereafter. 

*'  For  the  time  (is  come)  that  judgement  must  begin  at 
the  house  of  God;  and  if  it  first  begin  at  us,  what  shall 
the  end  be  of  them  that  obey  not  the  gospel  of  God" — I. 
Peter  iv.  17. — Does  not  universalism  teach  that  the  end  of 
fiut;h  M'ili  be  immortal   glory  in  heaven  ?     Did  Peter  reean 


212  AKGUiU.IVTS  A.ND  ITiiriCil'LLS 

SO  ?  "  And  ii'tlie  ligliLeous  scarcely  be  saved,  where  shall 
the  ungodly  :md  the  siuDcr  appear?*' — Verse  16. — Did  Pe- 
ter liiean,  they  should  appear  in  heaven  ?  Was  Peter  :i 
universalist  ?  Some  have  eaid  that  Peter  here  was  alludiuj^ 
to  the  jadgeineut  that  was  to  couie  upou  Jerusakiu.  But 
he  was  writing  to  the  strangers  scattered  throughout  Pon- 
lus,  Galatia,  Capadocia,  Asia,  and  Bilhynia.  In  what 
danger  were  these  people  of  the  judgement  of  Jerusalem  ? 
If  this  judgement  was  in  his  mind,  he  might  have  preach 
ed  it  to  Judea  and  Jerusalem,  but  v.hy  speak  of  it  ii;  : 
warning  style  to  people  of  other  countries  ? 

'•  For  if  God  spared  not  the  angels  that  sinned,  but  cast 
them  down  to  hell,  and  delivered  them  into  chains  of  dark- 
ness, to  be  reserved  unto  judgement." — 11.  Peter  ii.  4. — 
Are  v/e  to  supj;ose  this  v»as  the  judgement  of  Jerusalem  ? 
Or  are  we  to  suppose  it  the  present  judgement  of  the  wick- 
ed, at  which  mankind  are  judged  and  punished  daily  for 
their  sins  ?  And  were  the  angels  reserved  in  chains  of 
darkness  unto  this  ? 

"  The  Lord  knoweth  how  to  deliver  the  godly  out  of 
temptations,  and  to  reserve  the  unjust  unto  the  day  of  ■ 
judgement  to  be  punished." — Verse  9. — Was  this  day  of 
judgement  all  she  time  that  men  live  on  earth.  And  doec 
God  reserve  the  unjust  unto  this  day  (their  prescrst  life)  to 
be  punished,  by  punishing  iheju  wliile  he  reserves  them  ? 

"  Whereby  the  world  that  then  v/as,  being  over(lov/ed 
with  water,  peri^shed  :  but  the  hea^•ens  and  the  earth,  which 
are  now,  by  the  same  word  are  kept  in  store,  reserxed  unto 
fae  against  the  day  of  judgement  and  perdition  of  ungod- 
ly men. — II.  Peter  iii.  G,  7. — Is  this  day  in  which  we  live 
the  judgement  day  referred  to  ?  Is  this  the  day  of  ^^ert/i- 
tion  of  ungodly  men?  And  is  the  heavens  and  the  earth, 
which  were  reserved  unto  this  day,  now  on  fire  ?  Or  doe* 
this  mean  the  judgement  of  Jerusalem  ?  But  Peter  was 
not  writing  this  to  that  devoted  city,  yet  he  avails  himseff 
of  this  judgement  to  terrify  the  scattered  peopl»  to  whom 


OF  UNIVERSALISM  KXAMIM^^D.  213 

he  wrote,  to  good  works.  "  Seeing  then  that  all  these 
things  shall  be  dissolved,  what  manner  of  persons  ought  ye 
to  be,  in  all  holy  conversation  and  godliness." — Verse  11. 
See  also  verse  10  and  12. — We  must  here  add  the  16th 
verse.  "  As  also  in  all  his  (Paul's)  epistles,  speaking  in 
thera  of  these  things  ;  in  which  some  things  are  hard  to 
be  understood,  which  they  that  are  unlearned  and  unsta- 
ble wrest,  as  they  do  also  the  other  scriptures,  unto  their 
own  de^3truction." 

Serious  and  affecting  truth  !  Do  any  wrest  tlie  f>crij>- 
tures  to  iheir  own  destruction  ?  Let  the  plain  and  candid 
construction  of  scripture  be  heard.  They  speak  about  llxe 
secrets  of  the  future  state.  How  curious  would  we  be  to 
peep  through  the  veil  of  death,  and  look  a  nioment  on  the 
invisible  world.  The  Bible  is  all  the  window  through 
which  we  can  gaze  until  we  go.  We  have  no  interest, 
therefore,  to  pervert  that  to  make  it  reflect  false  shadov/s 
and  images  upon  our  minds. 

Upon  all  the  passages  referred  to  in  this  .section,  we  re- 
mark, 1.  They  are  quoted  from  the  prophets,  evangelists, 
and  apostles,  addressed  on  various  occasions  to  different 
kinds  of  people.  And  they  all  allude  to  a  judgement /o 
come,  to  a  retribution  at  a  future  time.  And  the  language, 
generally  is  expressive  of  a  retribution  beyond  this  life,  so 
plainly  that  iu  most  cases  it  would  require  the  most  subtle 
ingenuity  to  invent  any  otiier  meaning  to  it. 

2.  The  numerous  classes  of  people  addressed  on  these 
occasions,  were  all  believers  in  future  retribution  ;  except 
some,  who  denied  a  future  existence.  That  the  Gentiles 
were  believers  in  future  rewards  and  punishments,  is  prov- 
ed from  their  classick  authors.  In  the  Latin  and  Greek 
j)oems,  and  histories,  we  find  an  abundance  of  such  belief. 
Indeed  the  religious  Jews  not  only  believed  in  a  partial  sal- 
vation, but  that  none  would  be  saved  but  the  pious  of 
their  own  country.  That  both  Jews  and  Gentiles  held  to 
a  judgement  and  state  of  retribution  in  another  world  in 
tijs  dP'i  of  Christ,  is  admitted  by  universalists. 


3.  Christ  an-J  the  apostles  were  eitlier  rajlvers'alists  or 
liiey  were  not.  If  they  were  universalists  [hey  would  have 
considered  the  Jews  and  Gentiles  in  a  great  nnd  filial  er- 
rour,  in  holding  to  a  fniure  judgement  and  rewards  and 
punishments  in  another  state  of  being.  This  being  the 
case,  they  would  have  avoided  :\ny  expressions  thnt  would 
seem  to  sanction  the  errour — that  would  tend  to  confirm 
them  in  sucli  belief.  But  tlie  passages  wo  have  quoted 
show,  that  they  were  not  cnrefiil  to  avoid  e::pressions  which 
would  favour  tlirt  opinio!i,  bat  were  rather  careful,  on  many 
occasions,  to  use  sncli  exj;ressions.  They  would  not  only 
have  endeavoured  to  avoid  being  supposed  to  favour  t}ie 
doctrine  of  future  retribution,  but  they  would  have  express- 
ly, distinctly,  decidedly  and  unequivocally  have  reprobated 
the  errour,  as  uuiversalists  now  do.  TJicy  boldly  and  dis- 
tinctly inveighed  against  the  errours  and  heresies  and  false 
traditions  of  both  Jews  and  Gentiles  ;  and  as  the  doctrine  of 
a  future  judgement  and  retribution  was  so  prevalent  every 
whero  among  them,  they  would  have  noticed  the  false  doc- 
trine and  corrected  it.  But  never  did  they  do  it.  Wc  chal- 
Isnge  uuiversalists  throughout  the  world,  to  find  a  singis 
text  in  the  New  Testament,  v/here  eitlirr  Christ  or  any  of  hi« 
tipnstles  reproved  any  bady  for  believing  in  the  judgeuient 
Tiiul  retribution  iii' anoiln.r  worivh  They  never  have  dono 
i.,  and  never  can  do  it.  Eo  far  from  it,  these  divine  teach- 
er:; secned  to  acjUiesce  in  t'.je  doctrine,  and  leach  it  "o 
plair.ly,  thattbeir  followers  then,  and  most  of  tiieni  in  eve 
ry  age,  really  suppose  thsu)  in  earnest  about  it,  or  to  mc 
■so,  i;niil  this  age,  v  hich  has  discovered  a  deep  and  subi;.,- 
meaniug  to  their  words,  which  very  few  can  comprehend  I 

4.  They  may  ask,  why  she  divine  teachers  did  not  point 
out  ;>iniuiy  the  errour  of  universalinui.     Vie  answer — then* 
\^cro  two  good  reasons,     1.  Because  no  such  errour  then 
prevailed.     Ko.     Neither  Jews  nor  Gentile*?,  igncrant  ' 
learned, 'believed  in  that  doctrine.  ,  Some  were  9kci)lic'. 
but  all.  who  bcdieved  in  a  i'nture  existence,  lielicv«d  :  . 


OF  U^MyERSALIS31  EXAMINED.  215 

ture  jndgeiiisn!:  and  rewards  and  punishments.  2.  It  could 
not  h:\ve  been  reasonably  oxpectsd  that  universrdism  ever 
^Tould  exist  to  any  extent  u-fiere  the  Bible  should  be  b'j- 
licved. 

5.  We  are  av/are,  that  Balfour  and  others  have  said  on 
this  ground,  that  the  doctrine  of  future  judgonient  is  of 
heathen  oriqiu.  V/e  care  not  about  its  origin,  so  as  we 
know  whether  Jeaus  and  the  apostles  acknowledged  it  as 
truth,  or  rejected  itaserrour.  The  doctrine  of  a  God  was 
also  geDeraily  held  among  the  heathen  :  shall  we  therefore 
ieject  it  as  a  Pagan  superstition,  notwithstanding  Christ  and 
the  apo«tle3  received  it  as  truth?  The  doctrine  of  the 
resurrection  of  the  dead,  was  also  held  among  the  reli- 
gious people  of  the  Jews  and  the  Pagans;  must  we  re- 
ject that  too  as  a  Pagan  superstition  ?  We  think,  it 
would  be  quite  as  easy,  to  prove,  that  Christ  and  the 
apostles  did  not  acquiesce  in  and  coni^m  the  doctrines 
of  a  God,  and  a  resurrection,  as  that  they  did  not  the  doc- 
trines of  a  future  judgement  and  retribution.  It  is  argued, 
we  believe,  by  one  of  the  most  distinguished  universalist 
authors,  that  as  the  doctrine  of  future  re-.varda  and  punish- 
ments was  generally  believed  in  without  the  Bible,  it  could 
not  be  revealed  in  the  Bible  :  for  it  would  be  no  revelation 
if  found  there.  But  may  not  every  school  boy  see,  that  the 
existence  of  a  God,  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  and  future 
rewards  and  punishments,  might  have  been  believed  ainong 
men  without  a  revelation;  and  then  Christ  might  covjirvi 
these  doctrines  by  a  revelation.  Many  of  the  moral  prin- 
ciples contained  in  the  Bible  were  held  among  theheathcn. 
Does  that  invalidate  them,  after  Christ  has  sealed  them  with 
the  impress  of  his  divine  approbation  ? 

No  doubt,  these  doctrines  of  an  invisible  and  superio- 
tending  Providence,  a  resurrection  of  the  dead,  and  a  fu- 
ture judgement  and  retribution,  were  generally  believed 
among  all  nations,  (though  often  mixed  with  many  absurd 
and  suDerstitious  notions,)  from  an   in'stinctirs   inclination 


216  ARGUMKNTff  AM)  PRINCITLKS 

of  the  humnn  miiul.  God  has  made  it  uatural  tor  men  to 
believe  these  things,  as  well  as,  some  other  moral  princi- 
ples, so  that  none  can  get  rid  of  ihe  impressions  without 
much  eftbrt.  All  the  sophistries  of  skeptical  philosophers. 
Lave  never  been  able  to  fully  deface  these  impressions 
from  the  minds  of  many,  though  they  have  often  partially 
obliterated  them. 

These  three  doctrines  are  fundamental  pillars  of  all  re- 
ligions under  heaveii.  Search  all  the  legendary  lore  of 
ages  past,  and  you  will  find  these  points  every  where  re- 
cognized as  the  very  bom;  upon  which  all  religions  dre 
formed.  Range  over  the  world,  through  all  the  varied 
millions  of  Asia,  Africa,  Europe  and  America  ;  the  num- 
herless  systems  of  Pagan  idolatry,  Mahomcdanism  and 
CJhristianism  ;  and  these  three  doctrines  have  every  where 
been  the  prominent  features.  They  usually  go  together,  as 
if  bound  by  an  indissoluble  affinity.  Those  who  have  be- 
lieved the  one  have  generally  believed  the  others  also  ; 
^nd  where  the  one  has  been  rejected,  they  have  generally 
been  all  rejected.  The  grand  question  is,  did  Christ  and 
the  apostles  undertake  to  lop  off  and  eradicate  either  of 
these  prominent  doctrines?  Where  is  it  found  ?  Say  ye 
mighty  men  of  strength — ye,  that  have  challenged  the 
world — ye  that  have  taken  so  much  advantage  of  the  errours 
and  follies  of  christians,  as  to  plant  prejudices  deep  in  the 
minds  of  thousands  against  the  fundamental  principles  of 
all  religion.  Say,  did  the  Bible  reject  these  points,  or 
cither  of  them  ?  Tell  us  where.  These  three  points  are 
the  skeleton  of  all  religions;  and  we  might  as  well  expect 
a  man  to  be  made  without  bones,  as  for  any  religion  to  ex- 
ist without  them.  Cut  off  or  detach  either  of  these  points 
from  the  system,  and  you  disorganize  and  render  it  useless. 
It  is  no  objection  to  either  of  them,  that  they  have  been 
the  fundamental  points  in  all  religions.  As  well  might  we 
say,  the  inclination  of  ail  nations  to  religion  is  an  objection 
to  all  religion.     It  is  rather  proof  that  they  are  imperfectly 


or  U.MVERSALISM  EXAMINED.  217 

taught  by  the   hght  of  nature;  and  that  they  come  iu  the 
secret  whispers  of  ihe  xVhnighty  to  the  soui. 

6.  If  Christ  and  the  apostles  were  opposed  to  the  doc- 
trine of  future  judgement  and  retribution,  so  generally  re- 
ceived in  that  day,  we  should  not  only  find  them  distinctly 
opposing  it,  at  different  times,  which  is  not  the  case;  but 
we  should  find  their  immediate  successors,  the  early  chris- 
tians, generally  opposed  to  that  doctrine.  So  far  from  this, 
universalists  themselves,  in  the  history  of  their  sect,  writ- 
ten by  themselves,  do  not  make  out  any  universalists  in  the 
early  ages  of  the  church,  except  a  few  writers  occasionally ; 
and  all  these  held  to  along  duration  of  future  punishment. 
Furthermore,  if  Christ,  the  apostles,  and  early  christians, 
generally,  denied  future  judgement  and  retribution,  there 
must  have  been  a  time  when  this  doctrine  sprung  up  in  the 
church  as  a  heresy,  and  must  have  been  treated  as  a  heresy 
and  false  doctrine  by  the  principal  part  of  the  church  for  a 
time  before  they  would  be  generally  brought  over  to  it.  It 
can  not  be  supposed  that  the  whole  church  apostatized 
from  the  true  faith  at  once.  But  there  never  was  a  time 
when  the  church  as  a  body  considered  future  rewards  and 
punishments  as  a  new  doctrine  or  heresy  in  the  church. — 
But  the  doctrine  of  future  punishment  to  end  in  a  univer- 
sal restoration,  M^as  considered  a  hersey  in  the  days  of  Ore- 
gen.  And  the  doctrine  of  no  rewards  and  punishments  be- 
yond this  life,  as  Rchrisiian  doctrine,  was  never  professed 
enough  to  attract  any  notice  or  have  any  name,  till  within 
the  last  century  !  If  this  were  the  apostolick  doctrine, 
when  did  all  Christendom  apostatize  from  it  ?  In  what  books 
is  this  question  agitated?  In  what  history  is  it  recorded? 
Alas  for  the  cause!  all  is  silent!  Silence  and  darkness 
brood  around  it !     Well  then,  silent  and  dark,  let  it  be. 


19 


tiS  AHeUilENTS   A.NU  PRIX.IPLK* 


SECTION  VII. 


Passagts  of  Scrrpture,  in  which    Gehenna,  rendcnJ  hell, 
occurs,  considered. 

"And  fear  not  them  which  kill  the  body,  but  are  not  able 
to  kill  the  soul :  but  rather  fear  him  which  is  able  to  destroy 
both  soul  and  body  in  (gehenna)  hell." — Matt,  x:  23. 

"  Wherefore,  'if  thy  hand  or  thy  foot  offend  thee,  cut 
them  off,  and  cast  them  from  thee  :  it  is  better  for  thee  to 
enter  into  life  halt  or  maimed,  rather  than  having  two  hands, 
or  two  feet,  to  be  cast  into  everlasting  fire.  And  if  thine 
eye  offend  thee,  pluck  it  out  and  cast  it  from  thee;  it  i 
better  for  thee  to  enter  into  life,  with  one  eye  rather  thai 
having  two  eyes  to  be  cast  into  (gehenna  of  fire)  hell  fire." 
—Matt,  xvin:  8,9. 

"Ye  serpents,  ye  generation  of  vipers!  how  can  ye  es- 
cape the  damnation  of  (gehenna)  hell." — i\latt.  xxiii :  33. 

•'x\nd  if  thy  hand  oHend  thee,  cut  it  oH";  it  is  better  for 
thee  to  enter  into  life  maimed,  than  having  two  hands,  to 
go  into  (gehemm)  hell,  into  the  fire  that  never  shall  be 
quenched." — 3Iark  ix:  43. 

"But  I  will  forwarn  you  wliora  ye  shall  fear:  fear  him 
which,  after  he  hath  killed,  hath  power  to  cast  into  (gehenna) 
hell:  yea,  I  say  unto  you,  fear  him-" — Lukexii:  5. 

These  passages  and  some  other  kindred  ones,  have  been 
considered,  in  all  past  ages,  to  teach  future  punishments  as 
unequivocally  as  it  was  possible  for  the  Saviour  to  do  it. — 
But  universalist  criticism  has,  within  a  few  years,  touched 
these  passages  with  its  metamorphosing  wand ;  and  they 
have  seemed  to  crumble  into  empty  sounds!  The  reader 
may  be  curious  to  know,  by  what  legerdemain,  these  sol- 
emn warnings  of  Christ  have  been  disposed  of.  We  will 
furnish  the  information  for  the  benefit  of  such  as  have  not 
had  accerss  to  the  late  astonishing  eflforts,  which  have  been 
employed  for  the  consolation  of  the  wicked — Efforts,  which 
have  been  extolled  as  putting  a  finishing  touch  to  all  former 
labours  for  paralyzing  the  denunciations  of  heaven,  as  con- 
tained in   our  English  Bible.     The  triumphant  exclama- 


or   U.MVERSALISM   EXAMINKD.  219 

tion  has  been  echoed  through  the  order,  "  Walter  Balfour 
has  snujjfed  out  HELL  with  las  thumb  and  finger''!! 

These  passages  used  to  stand  among  unh^ersahsts  as  very 
hard  passages;  and  they  were  obliged  to  ^wist  and  screw- 
along  with  them  as  weil  as  they  could. 

A  number  of  prisoners  are  under  sentence  of  death.  Ao 
officer  comes  forward  with  their  death  wp.rrant  in  one  hand» 
and  a  pardon  in  the  other.  But  the  pardon  is  offered  on 
the  reasonable  condition,  that  the  jnisoners  are  penitent, 
and  aetuaily  reform  and  li/ve  as  good  citizens  the  rest  oi" 
their  days.  Now  what  would  be  our  astonishment  to  see 
these  prisoners,  instead  of  accepting  the  terms  with  grat- 
itude and  joy,  go  and  employ  a  parcel  o{ Lawyers — shrewd 
men,  who  could  "make  the  worse  appear  the  better  reas- 
on," to  examine  the  death  warrant  critically,  sad  find,  if 
possible,  or  invent  some  (law  in  it,  so  that  they  might  escape 
the  doom  without  compliance  v/ilh  the  terms  of  pardon; 
and  thus  waste  the  lime  allowed  them  to  decide,  in  these 
pettifogging  criticisms  I  This  seems  a  fair  illustration  of 
the  criticisms  of  universalist  teachers:  for  if  their  clients 
are  willing  to  become  good,  they  will  do  weil  enough  with- 
out finding  out  some  way  to  "get  round"  the  words  of 
Christ. 

We  would  advise  people,  instead  of  paying  men  for  study- 
ing out  defects  in  the  threatenings  of  our  Saviour,  to  obey 
bis  commands;  for  it  is  feared  their  Advocates,  with  all 
their  ingenuity,  will  not  be  admitted  to  speak  in  the  last 
trial.  But  how  do  these  ingenious  advocates  plead  on  the 
jlemn  declarations,  above  quoted  ?  Answer.  In  all  thesa 
assages,  our  Saviour  used  the  word  gehenna,  which  is 
here  reudered  hell  in  our  English  testaments.  This  word 
gehennais  of  Hebrew  origin,  and  literally  signifies  the  vallty 
(if  Hlnnora.  This  valley  was  originally  a  pleasant  and  de- 
lightful place,  situated  a  httle  east  of  the  city  of  Jerusalem. 
In  it  the  idolatrous  Jews  set  up  a  brazen  image  called  Mo- 
loch: and  here  offered  their  children  in   sacrifice.     Josiah 


220  ARGUMENTS  AND  PRINCIPLES 

abolished  this  abomination;  and  caused  all  the  filth  of  the 
city  to  be  deposited  there.  A  perpetual  fire  was  kept  there 
to  consume  the  filth  and  purify  the  air.  Worms  were  gen- 
erated in  the  oflfal,  from  which  came  the  expressions  **the 
worm  that  never  dies,"  and  "the  unquenchable  fire." — 
That  our  Saviour  in  threatening  the  Jews  with  the  punish- 
ments o{  gehenna,  used  the  term  in  this  literal  sense,  and 
only  meant,  that  they  should  be  executed  or  destroyed 
there  by  the  laws  of  their  country  I 

Now,  in  answer  to  this  ingenious  sophistry,  we  say  that 
we  really  supposed  the  learned  plea  to  be  sound,  till  recent 
investigations  convinced  us  of  its  fallacy.  All  learned  com- 
mentators and  biblical  criticks  admit  that  all  this  is  true  with 
regard  to  the  or/g-m  of  the  place;  but  they  have  hitherto 
supposed  this  fiery  and  wormy  and  offensive  valley,  so  no- 
ted in  the  history  of  the  Jews,  as  containing  every  thing 
loathsome  and  horrible,  was,  long  before  our  Saviour's 
time,  used  as  an  emblem  to  denote  the  place  of  the  wicked 
and  miserable  in  a  future  state.  And  that  Jesus,  knowing 
the  sense  in  which  the  term  was  used  among  the  Jews  in 
his  day,  used  it  in  the  same  sense,  and  was  so  understood 
by  them.  He  also  used  the  emblems  of  the  undying  worm 
and  unquenchable  fire,  all  borrowed  from  those  sensible  ob- 
jects, but  used  and  understood  in  his  day  to  be  a  figurative 
representation  of  the  miseries  of  another  world.  This  has 
been  the  uniform  verdict  of  ihe  learned,  lill  the  work  ap- 
peared a  few  years  since,  attempting  to  shov/,  tljat  Jesus 
yet  used  these  figures  in  their  original  and  literal  sense. 

Through  the  poverty  of  language,  the  terms  by  which 
\\c  express  invisible  and  spiritual  subjects,  v/ere  generally 
taken  originally  from  the  names  of  sensible  objects.  Heav- 
en drigiaally  signified  the  firmament  over  our  heads,  and  is 
so4Tietimes  used  in  that  sense  now.  Hut  for  tlie  want  of  a 
more  appropriate  term  to  express  the  abode  of  tlie  blessed, 
tliat  term  has  been  uscti  in  liuch  a  sense.  Bo  most  of  the 
i'uagery  descriptive  of  God,  his  power,  and   bis  glory,  are 


or  UNIVERSALISM  KXAMlMt,!).  22J 

borrowed  from  sensible  objects;  such  as  his  throne,  from 
the  throne  of  an  earthly  prince — his  sceptre,  his  hands,  his 
feet,  his  eyes,  &c.  How  foohsh  would  be  the  conclusion 
from  thence,  that  God  is  a  material  being,  and  is  like  an 
earthly  king,  sitting  upon  a  throne,  and  that  there  is  no 
other  God!  By  thesame  arguments  that  are  used  to  prove 
the  term  gehenim  as  used  by  our  Saviour,  only  significant 
of  literal  temporal  punishment  in  the  valley  of  Ilinnom,  it 
might  also  be  proved,  that  heaven  only  signifies  the  stary 
firmament,  Paradise  the  garden  of  Eden;  and  all  the  prom- 
ises of  salvation  to  mean  the  temporal  enjoyments  of  the 
christian  in  this  life.  We  shall  oifer  proof  that  the  Jews  to 
wliom  our  Saviour  addressed  the  term  did  then  use  it  to 
denote  future  punishment — that  his  words  would  have 
jaadeno  sense  or  would  have  been  false,  had  he  used  it  in 
its  antiquated  original  sense — And  that  his  hearers  must 
have  understood  him  to  use  it  in  its  common  acceptation; 
and  of  course,  unless  he  used  it  so  he  must  have  intended 
lo  deceive  them.  Suppose  I  am  going  as  a  missionary  to 
pr^eachto  the  people  of  Michigan  ;  by  the  word  hell  I  mean 
the  valley  of  Hinnom  ;  but  I  know  that  those  people  use 
the  v/ord  hell  to  denote  the  place  or  state  of  future  punish- 
ment. I  go  and  tell  them  they  are  in  danger  of  hell,  with- 
out intimating  to  them  that  I  use  the  term  in  any  other 
sense  than  that  commonly  used  among  them.  Should  I 
not  be  guilty  of  deception? 

There  is  a  late  work  on  "rewards  and  punishments,"  by 
Rev.  B.  Whitman,  of  Massachusetts.  It  is  an  able  and  ele- 
gant vindication  of  future  retribution.  The  author  had 
access  to  the  necessary  libraries  and  ancient  v/orks.  And 
as  we  are  not  ashamed  to  make  extracts,  which  will  answer 
better  than  our  own  language,  we  give  his  proof  on  this 
subject. 

"1.  I  reject  your  definition  of  gehenna  because  it  makes 
our-  blessed  Saviour  utter  nonsense  and  falsehood.  Look 
at  the  several  passages  in  which  he  employs  the  word. — 
The  following  is  th©  first  instance.     '  Ye  have  heard  that  it 

J9* 


222  /.UGUME.XTS  A5iJ  fftlJ^CIPLES 

was  said  to  them  of  old  time,  thou  shall  not  kill;  and  who- 
soever shall  kill,  shall  be  i;;  danger  of  the  judgtvunt ;  but 
I  say  uuto  you  that  whosoever  is  angry  with  his  brother 
without  a  cause,  shall  be  in  danger  of  the  judgement ;  and 
whosoever  shall  say  1o  his  brother,  raca,  shall  be  in  danger 
of  the  council;  but  whosoever  shall  say  thou  fool,  shall  be 
in  danger  of  the  g-e^eM7ia  o/^re.'  Here  you  perceive  that 
our  Saviour  mentions  three  degrees  of  punishment,  the 
judgement,  the  council,  thegeheuna.  Now  the  question  is 
simply  this.  Did  our  Saviour  mean  literal  and  temporal 
punishment  as  you  contend,  or  did  he  mean  figurative  and 
spiritual  as  I  believe?  He  could  not  mean  literal  jjunish- 
ment.  For  the  Jews  had  no  law  for  punishing  a  person  for 
unreasonable  anger;  and  I  defy  you  or  any  other  man  to 
produce  a  single  case  in  which  such  an  offence  was  ever 
punished  by  the  Jewish  tribunal  called  ihe  judgement ;  con- 
sequently no  disciple  was  in  any  danger  of  a  literal  pun- 
ishment by  this  court  on  account  of  anger.  The  Jews  had 
no  law  for  punishing  a  person  for  calling  another  raca  ;  and 
I  challenge  you  or  any  other  individual  to  mention  a  single 
instance  in  which  such  a  crime  was  ever  punished  by  the 
Jewish  tribunal  called  the  council;  and  consequently  no 
heaver  of  our  Saviour  v,^as  in  the  least  danger  of  a  literal 
punishment  by  this  court  for  using  such  words.  The  Jews 
had  no  laws  for  punishing  a  man  for  calling  jhis  brother  a 
fool ;  and  I  defy  you  to  produce  a  single  example  in  which 
they  punished  any  breach  of  their  laws  by  burning  in  the 
valley  of  Hinnom;  and  consequently  no  one  of  those  our 
Saviour  addressed  was  in  danger  of  being  thus  punished 
for  any  crime  whatever?  Now  is  it  likely  that  he  was  to- 
tally ignorant  of  the  jurisprudence  of  his  own  nation  ?  Is 
it  not  probable  that  his  hearers  would  have  ridiculed  him 
to  his  face  for  manifesting  such  ignorance  had  they  under- 
stood him  to  mean  literal  punishment.  Not  only  so.  Your 
definition  of  gehenna  makes  our  Saviour  contradict  him- 
self in  the  same  sentence.  He  first  avers  that  the  Jews 
consider  nothing  to  be  murder  but  tlie  outward  act;  and 
that  this  offence  was  condemned  to  no  heavier  penalty  than 
what  the  judgement  could  inHict.  Had  he  then  declared 
that  whoever  cherished  unreasonable  anger  would  be  ex- 
posed to  the  literal  judgement,  or  literal  council,  or  literal 
fire,  would  he  not  have  contradicted  his  former  assertion  ? 
But  this  is  not  all.  You  make  our  Saviour  threaten  his 
liearers  wit5  punishments  of  which  they  were  in  no  possi- 
ble danger,  and  this  must  have  been  perfectly  well  under- 
stood by  all  present.  Consequently  they  must  have  re- 
ceived his  meaning  according  to  my  exposition.  He  meant 
that  the  torraint  of  inimical  and  revengeful   feelings  irust 


or  L.MVilKSAiilSAI  EXAMinKJJ. 


t23 


be  as  severe  as  the  punishments  which  could  be  inflicted  in 
three  several  methods.  And  when  he  used  the  word  ge- 
henna  he  extended  the  sufferings  beyond  tlie  }>rave,  as  this 
word  wjs  tlien  onjjloyed  to  denote  tlie  future  misery  ot'tjie 
wicked,  which  1  shall  soon  prove.  Thus  you  see  your  de- 
finition ofge'iienna  makes  our  Saviour  utter  nonsense  and 
iaisehood.     Matthew  v  :  22. 

Take  a  second  class  of,  passages.  *And  if  thy  right  eye 
offend  theo,  pluck  it  out  and  cast  it  from  thee  ;  for  it  is  prof- 
itable for  thee  that  one  of  thy  members  should  perish,  and 
not  that  thy  whole  body  should  be  cast  into  gehenna.  And 
if  thy  right  hand  offend  thee,  cut  it  offand  cast  it  from  thee  ; 
for  it  is  jjrotitable  for  thue  that  one  of  thy  members  should 
perish,  and  not  ihr.t  lliy  whole  body  should  be  cast  into 
gehenna.'  How  cm]  you  reconcile  this  sentence  with  your 
view  of  gehenna?  What  connexion  would  the  cutting  oft" 
an  offending  member  have  with  being  burnt  in  the  valley 
of  Ilinnom.  ?  What  court  had  autliority  to  inllict  this  kind 
of  punishment  on  account  of  a  j)erson's  being  led  into  sin 
by  his  right  eye?  Can  you  possibly  understand  this  in  a 
literal  sense  ?  Surely  not.  The  Jews  had  no  laws  rela- 
ting to  such  ofiences.  There  was  no  manner  of  danger 
from  a  literal  burning.  And  this  must  have  been  known 
both  to  the  preacher  and  hearers.  Now  my  definition  of 
the  word  makes  our  Saviour  consistent,  wise  and  benevo- 
lent.    Matthew  v  :  29,  30;  xviii :  0.     Mark  ix  :  43,  45. 

Take  a  third  class  of  passages.  'And  fear  not  them  which 
kill  the  body,  but  are  not  able  to  kill  the  soul;  but  rather 
fear  Idm  which  is  able  to  destroy  both  soul  and  body  in  ge- 
henna.' Wliat  can  you  makeof  this  verse  on  your  system  ? 
What  more  than  the  body  could  be  destroyed  by  burning 
in  the  valley  of  Kinnorn?  Call  the  soul  what  you  please, 
still  it  must  mean  something  which  no  human  tribunal 
could  destroy,  in  order  to  make  our  Saviour  utter  any  truth 
or  wisdom.  If  then  you  say  that  gehenna  here  means  the 
valley  of  Minnom,  the  meaning  of  the  sentence  amounts  to 
nothing  more  than  this.  Fear  not  him  who  can  kill  you 
in  oneway,  but  fear  him  who  can  destroy  you  in  another. 
Could  such  nonsense  proceed  from  the  inspired  Jesus? — 
Not  only  so.  He  had  been  exhorting  his  disciples  to  bold- 
ness and  perseverance  in  proclaiming  the  Gos|)el;and  if 
your  definition  of  gehenna  be  the  true  one,  he  exhorted 
them  to  take  the  most  direct  course  to  incur  the  hatred  of 
the  Jewish  rulers,  and  the  highest  punishment  which  they 
could  infiiict.  His  language  then  amounts  simply  to  this. 
Leap  into  danger  of  gehenna  with  your  eyes  open,  yet  en- 
tertain the  greatest  dread  of  him  who  has  the  power  of  cast- 
ing you  ill  thither.     Make  it  niorally  certain  that  you  shall 


224  ARGUMENTS  AND  PRINCIPLES 

suffer  the  lynnisbment  of  gehenna,  aod  yet  do  nil  voh  csn 
to  avoid  it.  Did  the  Saviour  preach  such  nonsense  and 
falsehood?  Surely  not.  Give  the  true  exposition  of  the 
passage  and  his  instruction:-;  appear  ciear,^  striking,  ration- 
Ai  and  consistent.     IVIutthew  x:  2S.     Luke  xii:  5. 

Take  a  fourth  class  of  passages.  '  Wo  unto  you,  scribes 
and  pharisees,  hypocrites!  for  ye  compass  sea  and  land  to 
make  one  proselyte;  and  when  he  is  made,  ye  make  him 
twofold  more  the  child  of  gehenna  than  yourselves.'  The 
scribes  and  pharisees  use  j?.reat  zeal  to  make  proselytes. — 
When  they  have  made  one  he  is  doubly  deserving  the  pun- 
ishment of  gehenna.  Then  according  to  your  definition  he 
ought  to  be  burned  twice  in  the  valley  of  Hinnora.  You 
will  recollect,  however,  that  these  words  were  addressed 
directly  to  the  scribes  and  pharisees.  Now  the  scribes 
were  magistrates  and  the  pharisees  the  ruling  party;  con- 
sequently they  had  in  their  own  power  all  the  punishment. 
If  the  burning  of  criminals  was  then  practised  they  v.ould 
be  the  last  to  incur  such  a  judgement.  This  rendering 
then  will  not  bear  in  this  particular  instance  surely  :  so  that 
vou  must  give  another  m.ear;ing  to  gehenna  in  order  to 
make  any  sense  or  truth  of  our  Saviour's  words.  Matthew 
xxiii:  15. 

Take  a  fifth  example.  'Ye  serpents,  ye  generation  of 
vipers,  how  can  ye  escape  the  damnation  of  gehenna.'  Will 
your  definition  bear  in  this  sentence  ?  Not  at  all.  It  was 
utterly  impossible  for  the  scribes  and  pharisees  to  incur 
any  punishment  which  the  Jewish  nation  would  inflict,  let 
them  be  ever  so  guilty.  Consequently  they  were  in  no 
more  danger  of  being  burned  in  the  valley  of  Hinnom  than 
of  being  drowned  in  the  tlien  unknown  valley  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi^ But  this  verse  is  manifestly  addressed  to  men  in 
real  danger  of  gehenna,  whatever  it  might  be.  The  scribes 
and  pharisees  were  then  at  the  summit  of  whatever  tempor- 
al power  the  Jews  at  that  time  possessed.  Is  it  to  be  sup- 
posed that  in  all  these  instances  our  Saviour  either  meant 
nothing  at  all,  or  mentioned  a  fire  of  which  they  were  not 
in  the  least  possible  danger?     Matthew  xxiii :  So. 

Look  at  the  passage  from  James.  'And  the  tongue  is  a 
fire,  a  world  of  iniquity  ;  so  is  the  tongue  among  our  mem- 
bers, that  it  defileth  the  whole  body,  and  setteth  on  fire  the 
course  of  nature,  and  it  is  set  on  fire  of  gehenna.'  ])oes 
the  writer  mean  to  declare,  tliat  the  human  tongue  is  liter- 
ally set  on  fire  of  the  valley  of  Hinnom?  Surely  not.  A 
passage  from  one  of  the  Jewish  writers  will  illustrate  the 
meaning  of  this  vei-se-  'A  crafty  tongue  with  coals  of  ju- 
niper, which  were  lighted  in  the  infernal  gehenna.'  Anoth- 
er author  ha.s  thi.'S  sentence.     'I  above,  thou  beneath.     I 


OF   UNIVERSALISil  EXAMINED.  225 

from  above  will  scatter  arrows  upon  evil  tongues,  thou  from 
beneath  shall  cast  up  coals  u])on  them.'     James  m  :  6. 

*  a  «  *  * 

Perhaps  you  may  now  say,  that  our  Saviour  alluded  to 
the  destruction  of  Jerusalem;  that  those  who  were  not  con- 
verted to  Christianity  would  then  be  burnt  alive  in  the  val- 
ley of  Hinnom.  If  he  uttered  such  an  idea  he  declared 
what  never  took  place.  I  am  not  willing  therefore  to  ac- 
cuse him  of  falsehood.  Many  of  those  he  addressed  were 
dead  long  before  the  calamity  befel  the  city.  And  those 
who  perished  at  the  time  were  not  taken  and  burned  outside 
its  walls.  So  that  there  is  not  the  least  shadow  of  evidence 
for  such  a  definition.  Give  your  meaning  in  the  passages 
in  which  gehenna  occurs,  and  it  destroys  all  the  sense  and 
connexion,  makes  our  Saviour  a  fool  or  a  liar;  and  surely 
this  is  a  sufficient  reason  for  rejecting  your  exposition. 

2.  My  second  reason  for  rejecting  your  defmition  of  ge- 
henna is  this.  The  word  evidently  denotes  some  kind  of 
punishment  in  all  the  instances  in  which  our  Baviour  used 
it.  Now  we  have  no  evidence  that  the  valley  of  Hinnom 
was  a  place  of  punishment  in  the  time  of  our  Saviour  and 
his  apostles.  We  have  satisfactory  ])roof  to  the  contrary. — 
No  instance  of  punishment  in  that  place  and  at  that  period  is 
recorded  in  the  New  Testament  or  any  other  book.  You 
never  find  any  persons  but  Christ  and  his  apostle  using  the 
word.  Onr  Saviour  mentions  various  kinds  of  trial  to  which 
his  apostles  would  be  liable;  but  he  mentions  gehenna  in 
this  connexion  but  once ;  and  he  then  uses  the  word  in 
r>uch  a  manner  that  you  plainly  perceive  he  could  not  mean 
corporal  ])unishmenf,  since  he  had  just  spoken  of  killing 
the  body  as  a  matter  of  no  consequence.  The  apostles 
never  speak  of  themselves  as  in  any  danger  of  b^ing  burned 
in  the  valley  of  Kinnom;  and  the  Jews  never  threaten  eith- 
er them  or  their  master  with  such  pnnislimcnt.  Conse-' 
quently  I  cannot  possibly  believe  that  our  Saviour  meant  a 
literal  temporal  punishment  in  the  valley  of  Hinnom  when 
he  used  the  word  gehenna. 

•L  iMy  third  reason  forrejecting  your  definition  of  gehen- 
na is  this.  You  have  no  evidence  that  a  pcrpetaal  fire  was 
kept  up  in  the  valley  of  Hinnom  at  the  time  our  Saviour 
was  on  earth.  I  know  that  a  statement  of  this  kind  has 
been  often  repeated.  I  have  often  done  it  myself.  I  sup- 
posed the  authors  in  which  I  found  the  account  were  u> 
be  trusted.  I  find  this  is  not  the  case  in  this  instance.  An 
assertion  to  this  effect  vv'as  made  by  Rabbi  Kimchi  who 
finurished  about  the  fourteenth  century.  If  there  is  any 
other  evidence  for  the  trutli  of  the  story  I  have  not  discov- 
ered it;  and  surely  this  is  not  sufficient  to  satisfy  any  reas- 


^'-5  AliGUME.MS  A:iD  rKl>Giri.Kt 

oning  micJ.  Until  further  proof  is  produced  1  sball  there- 
fore streuuously  deny  that  any  perpetual  iire  existed  iii  the 
vi.-^ley  of  Hinnojnin  the  time  of  our  ^Saviour.  And  if  this 
be  the  fact,  then  he  could  not  possibly  have  used  the  word 
gehenna  in  (he  sense  yon  suppose. 

4.  My  fourth  reason  lor  rejecting  your  definition  of  ge- 
hean.a  is  this.  A!i  the  truly  qualified  biblical  criticks  frona 
the  earliest  days  of  rcseaicii  to  the  present  titne  have  given 
a  different  exposition.  They  have  investigated  the  subject 
thoroughly.  They  have  had  no  interest  whatever  to  de- 
ceive. If  the  evidence  kad  been  sufficient  to  convince 
them  that  i^ehenna  rnennr  a  literal,  tenjporal  punishment, 
they  would  have  declared  this  opinion  with  all  readiness. 
i  cannot  therefore  believe  thatsuch  numbers  of  honest  men 
c«)uld  have  been  so  long  and  so  universally  mistaken  on  this 
question. 

11.  In  the  second  place,  I  will  mention  a  few  reasons  for 
believing  that  our  Saviour  used  gehenna  to  mean  spiritual 
j)Uiiishment  both  in  this  life  and  the  world  to  come. 

1.  This  is  the  testimony  of  the  Jewish  writers  of  antiqui- 
ty. I  go  to  their  u-riiingsto  ascertain  the  exact  meaning  of 
a  [lebrew  word  in  their  day,  and  for  no  other  purpose.  I 
have  nothing  to  do  with  their  theology  or  religious  senti- 
'meats.  '  There  is  no  other  sure  method  of  arriving  at  the 
truth  on  this  question,  as  every  biblical  crilick  will  admit. 
What  works  then  have  wji  to  which  reference  can  be  made 
in  this  controversy.  Wo  have  the  Targums  and  the  Tal- 
muds.  As  you  may  not  know  much  about  these  writings 
J  will  give  you  a  brief  but  accurate  statement  respecting 
their  origin  and  history. 

Wjiat  then  are  the  Targums  ?  They  are  Chaldee  para- 
phrases on  different  portions  of  the  Old  Testament.  In 
tile  first  place,  there  is  the  Targum  [Jonathan  Ben  Uzziel. 
This  is  a  paraphrasiick  commentary  on  the  prophets.  Tiie 
author  was  the  chief  disciple  of  Hillel  the  elder,  who  flour- 
ished in  Jerusalem  within  thirty  years  of  Christ.  There 
can  be  no  doubt  of  the  fieouineness  and  authenticity  of 
tliis  wotk.  In  proof  of  thsse  we  have  first  the  testimony  of 
:.ll  the  later  Jewish  writers.  We  have  second  the  entire 
?^b.>-ence  of  all  anachronisms  :  that  is  there  is  nothing  that 
heirs  the  stamp  of  a  later  date  ;  there  is  no  reference  to 
names  or  events  of  a  subsequent  period  ;  and  this  is  a  very 
p.trong  ground  ofevjdence;  especially  when  you  considr 
that  the  names  of  contempory  persons,  of  placer?,  of  allr. 
sions  to  local  circumstances,  are  constantly  occurring  iu 
all  the  Targums.  1  know  a  certain  writer  has  asserted  thrt 
;his  Targum  was  not  quoted  by  the  Christian  fathers  foi» 
the  first ionr  centuries.     Admit  the  fact  for  the  'sake  of  ar- 


or  U^CITICRSALISM   EXAMirtI'.  O.  227 

gtttneat,  and  this  objection  is  readily  answered.  First, 
thess  clirisriau  writers  did  not  rinderstand  the  Cliaidee, 
with  the  exception  of  Jerome.  Second,  Jerome  learned  it 
late  in  life,  and  comflains  that  his  knowledge  of  it  was  su- 
perficial and  imperfect.  Third,  the  Jews  were  exceeding- 
ly backward  in  commuuicaliug  any  of  their  learning  to 
christians.  ,This  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  the  Rabbins 
whom  Jerome  hired  to  assist  him  in  his  Hebrew  studies 
came  by  night  to  avoid  offending  their  brethren.  Fourth, 
the  Jews  had  special  reasons  for  caution  in  communicating 
the  contents  of  this  book  to  the  christians;  for  it  explains 
many  of  the  prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament  respecting 
the  Messiah  in  the  same  way  in  which  believers  then  did 
and  now  do.  There  is  no  reasonable  doubt  in  the  minds 
of  those  who  have  had  time  and  ability  to  investigate  this 
subject,  that  Jonathan,  the  author  of  the  Targum  on  the 
prophets,  was  either  a  few  years  prior  to  Christ,  or  con- 
temporary with  him.  Of  course  his  writings  furnish  the 
very  best  authority  we  could  desire  or  can  possibly  have, 
for  ascertaining  the  meaning  of  the  word  Gelitnna  in  the 
time  of  our  Saviour. 

In  the  second  place,  there  is  the  Targum  of  Jose))h  the 
blind.  This  author  flourished  about  300  years  after  Christ. 
He  was  a  teacher  of  the  law  at  Babylon.  He  was  peculi- 
arly skilled  in  the  Hagiography.  Many  disciples  resorted 
to  his  school.  They  wrote  down  his  explanations  and  re- 
marks. The  Targum  which  bears  his  name  is  probably 
a  collection  of  extracts  from  their  manuscripts  with  their 
comments.  Its  style  shows  it  to  be  the  work  of  several  dif- 
ferent hands.  Now  this  work  has  a  peculiar  value  in  our 
present  inquiry  on  this  very  account;  for  it  shows  not  mere- 
ly the  opinion  of  the  teacher,  but  the  views  of  his  pupils  in 
relation  to  the  meaning  of  Gehenna. 

In  the  third  place,  there  is  the  Jerusalem  Targum.  This 
must  have  been  written  as  late  as  the  sixth  century,  be- 
cause events  are  referred  to,  and  geographical  names  are 
inserted,  which  could  not  have  had  an  earlier  date  ;  but  it 
could  not  have  been  composed  at  a  much  later  period. 
Its  authority  however  may  be  regarded  as  great ;  for  it 
consists  principally  of  extracts  from  earlier  Targums  and 
other  Jewish  writings.  In  fact  there  is  such  a  coincidence 
between  many  passages  of  this  Targum  and  passages  in  the 
New  Testament,  that  some  criticks  have  supposed  it  was 
extant  in  the  time  of  Chris#  There  is  of  course  not  the 
least  shadow  of  probability  in  supposing  that  the  compilers 
of  this  Targum  quoted  from  the  christian  scriptures,  a 
hook  which  they  utterly  detested.  We  must  then  allow 
this  Targum  an  authority  on  this  question    equal  to  the 


-i"i5  ARGUME.NTS  AND  FRI.NCIPLES 

New  Testament,  or  else  suppose  it  to  have  been  compiled 
in  pun  from  documents  extant  in  the  time  of  Christ,  which 
is  the  same  thing  for  my  argument.  On  either  hypothe- 
sis this  Targum  is  of  great  value  in  determining  the  mean- 
ing that  was  given  to  Hebrew  words  in  the  days  of  our  Sa- 
viour. 

Let  me  now  ofl'er  a  few  explanatory  remarks  respecting 
the  Tahnuds.  In  the  first  phice  there  is  the  Jerusalem  Tal- 
mud. Rabbi  Judah  Hakkadesh  resided  at  Tiberias  in  Pal- 
estine about  the  year  200.  He  made  or  published  a  collec- 
tion of  the  traditions  of  the  Jewish  docto's,  in  order  to  pre- 
serve them  from  being  lost  in  the  dispersion  of  the  Jews  and 
the  interruption  of  the  schools.  This  collection  was  term- 
ed the  mishna,  or  second  law.  About  a  century  afterwards 
Rabbi  Jochanan  lived  in  Palestine.  He  prepared  a  gemara, 
that  is  a  fdling  up  or  completion  of  the  mishna.  This  is  at 
once  a  commentary  on  the  mishna  and  also  a  supplement 
to  it.  The  mishna  and  gemara  constitute  the  Jerusalem 
Talmud. 

In  the  second  place,  there  is  the  Babylonish  Talmud. — 
This  is  much  larger  than  the  other.  It  is  also  much  more 
known,  and  much  more  commonly  used.  It  is  composed 
of  Rabbi  Judah's  rnishna,  and  a  gemara  prepared  at  Baby- 
lon, perhaps  as  early  as  the  year  four  hundred,  and  certain- 
ly not  more  than  a  century  later.  But  as  both  these  Tal- 
muds  are  composed  chiefly  of  sayings  and  writings  much 
older  than  the  date  of  their  compilation,  they  are  good  au- 
thority for  ascertaining  the  meaning  of  Hebrew  words  at 
a  much  earlier  period.  1  think  these  notices  are  sufficient 
for  all  present  purposes. 

Now  I  wish  you  to  understand  distinctly  the  use  I  am 
about  to  make  of  these  Hebrew  writings  of  antiquity.  I  do 
not  search  them  to  ascertain  what  the  Jews  believed  con- 
cerning future  retribution.  No.  Their  opinions  weigh 
nothing  v/ith  me  in  this  controversy.  I  go  to  them  for  the 
express  purpose  of  learning  what  meaning  the  Jewish  na- 
tion gave  to  the  word  gehemia  in  the  days  of  our  Saviour 
and  immediately  after.  He  was  born  ivith  the  Jews,  and 
would  use  language  as  understood  by  his  brethren  accord- 
ing to  the  flesh,  unless  he  signified  to  the  contrary.  This 
he  has  not  done  in  the  present  instance.  Now  this  is  the 
only  true  and  sure  way  of  coming  at  the  real  meaning  of 
v/ords  in  any  language.  Let  ms  give  you  an  illustration. 
You  find  the  word  atonement  bflfconcein  our  Englisli  trans- 
lation of  the  christian  scriptures.  You  wish  to  know  what 
meaning  was  attached  to  this  term  in  the  time  of  the  trans- 
lators. How  can  you  determine  this  question?  By  exam- 
ining other  books  which  were  written  near  that  period. — 


OF  UNJVERSALISW  EXAMINED.  229 

You  take  the  plays  of  Shakspeare.  You  there  find  the 
word  thus  divided,  at-one-ment.  This  shovvs  you  that  the 
people  of  that  day  meant  by  the  word  atonement,  reconcil- 
iation, bringing  together  those  who  were  at  variance,  ma- 
king them  one.  Now  I  am  about  to  pursue  a  similar 
course  in  relation  to  the  word  gehennu  ;  and  all  judges  of 
this  subject  will  assure  you  there  is  no  other  certain  way 
of  arriving  at  its  true  iTjeaning. 

In  the  first  place,  take  a  few  extracts  from  the  Targum 
of  Jonathan.  Read  the  following  declaration.  'Abram 
saw  gehenna  belching  forth  smoke  and  burning  coals,  and 
sending  up  sparks  to  punish  the  wicked  therein.'  Surely 
he  did  not  see  the  valley  of  Hnmom,  for  this  would  make 
him  witness  what  no  one  pretends  took  place  until  a  thous- 
and years  after  his  time.  Hear  the  following  remark. — 
*The  wicked  are  to  be  judged,  that  they  may  be  delivered 
to  eternal  burning  in  gehenna.'  This  surely  cannot  refer 
to  the  valley  of  Hinnom.  Very  many  passages  occur  in 
Avhich  the  wicked  are  threatened  with  the  punishment  of 
gehenna.  But  you  want  only  those  which  clearly  prove 
that  future  punishment  was  intended.  Listen  then  to  the 
three  following  sentences.  '  Like  embers  in  the  fire  of 
gehenna  which  God  created  the  second  day  of  the  crea- 
tion of  the  world.'  '  The  earth  from  which  springs  forth 
food,  and  beneath  which  is  gehenna,  the  cold  of  whose 
snow  is  changed  so  as  to  become  like  fire.'  '  Thou  shalt 
see  them  descending  into  the  earth  to  gehenna.'  Thus 
have  I  given  you  five  extracts  from  this  Jewish  writer  who 
lived  about  twenty  or  thirty  years  before  Christ.  They 
plainly  prove  that  he  considered  gehenna  a  place  or  state 
of  future  punishment  for  the  wicked.  They  are  comments 
on  the  following  passages  of  Scripture.  Isa.  xxxiii.  14, 
17.  Cant.  VIII.  6.  Job  xxxviii.  5.  Wolf's  Bibliotheca 
Hebrae,  Part  ii.  p.  1159—60.  Wetstein's  N.  T.  on  Mat- 
thew V.  22,  Bartoloccius  Bibliotheca  Rabbinica,  Part  ii. 
p.  136. 

In  the  second  place,  take  an  example  from  Medrasch  Thil- 
Hum,  an  allegorical  exposition  of  the  Psalms  ascribed  to 
Rabbi  Akaiba  ben  Joseph,  who  was  born  the  first  year  of 
the  Christian  era.  These  are  his  words.  '  Circumcision 
is  regarded  with  favour;  for  the  holy  and  blessed  swear  to 
Abram  tliat  no  one  who  v/as  circumcised  should  descend 
into  gehenna.'  This  cannot  mean  the  valley  of  Hinnom. 
Wetstein  Mat.  iii.  9.     Bartoloccius  Part  iv.  p.  272,  320. 

la  tlie  third  place,  take  a  few  specimens  from  the  Pierche 
Elietjer,  written  byEliezer  the  great,  whoso  wife  was  great 
graitfJ'daughter  to  that  Simeon  who  took  the  infant  Jesus 
in  hid  inns.     He  flourished  about  the  year  seventy-three. 

20 


230  ARGUMr,?«TS  AM»  PRJKCJt'Lij.-iJ 

These  are  his  sajings.  '  On  account  of  the  Sabbath  Admit 
\f  as  delivered  iVom  the  condemnation  of  gehenua.'  '  Who- 
soever confesses  his  transgressions  and  forsakes  them  is  de- 
livered from  the  condemnation  of  gehenna.'  '  The  holy 
and  blessed  God  has  dealt  with  me  in  truth  and  goodness* 
snd  delivered  me  from  the  condemnation  of  gehenna.'  'All 
angels  and  seraphim  shall  not  deliver  the  wicked  from  the 
condemnation  of  gehenna.'  You  see  that  in  all  these  ca- 
ses gehenna  is  evidently  used  to  denote  f^Uure  punishment. 
Bartoloccius.  Part  i.  p.  184,  5.  Fart  iv.  Chronologi- 
cal Index.     Wetstein.  Tdat.  xxiii.  33. 

In  the  fourth  place,  take  a  few  instances  from  Beraschiih 
Jtahba,  which  was  written  by  Rabbi  HoschiaUia.  He  nour- 
ished about  the  year  ninety-five.  These  are  the  sayings, 
'  Hereafter  Abram  will  sit  at  the  gates  of  gehenna,  and  will 
suffer  no  circumcised  Israelite  to  descend  thither;  but 
what  will  he  do  with  those  who  have  sinned  beyond  meas- 
ure ?  He  will  restore  to  them  ineir  foreskin,  and  they  wiU 
descend  into  gehenna.'  '  Before  Paradise  gehenna  was 
created  :  gehenna  on  the  second  day,  paradise  on  the  third 
day.  This  is  the  edge  of  the  sword  which  turns  every 
way,  and  which  being  directed  towards  them  hereafter  sets 
them  on  fire.'  '  In  that  hour  gehenna  ascends  upon  the 
wicked.  Woe  to  the  world  on  account  of  the  judgement* 
thereof.'  Wetstein.  Mat.  iii.  9  ;  v.  22  :  x\ui.  33.  Luke 
XVI.  22.     Bartoloccius,  Part  ii.  p.  778,  82,  134. 

In  the  fifth  place,  take  one  example  from  Maase  Thora, 
ascribed  to  Rabbi  Hakkodesh  who  was  born  about  the  year 
one  hundred  and  twenty.  Tliese  are  the  words.  'God- 
admitted  Hiram  king  of  Tyre  into  paradise,  because  he 
had  built  the  temple,  and  had  been  from  the  first  a  pious, 
man  ;  and  he  lived  in  paradise  a  thousand  years  ;  but  when 
afterwards  he  began  to  be  filled  with  pride  and  made  him- 
self a  deity,  he  was  expelled  from  paradise  aiid  descended 
inio  gehenna."  Wetstein.  Lukexxni.43.  Wolf.  Bib- 
lioth.  Heb.  Part  II.  p.  839.  Bartoloccius  Part  III.  p. 
773. 

In  the  sixth  place  take  a  few  passages  from  the  Tahnuds. 
I  will  give  them  in  the  order  they  ocfcur  in  the  original 
works.  Look  then  to  the  tbllowin'g  examples.  "For 
those  who  observe  the  law,  Paradise  is  prepared,  but  for 
transgressors,  gehenna."  Does  this  refer  to  this  world  or 
the  next.  "  VVhile  you  apply  yourselves  with  the  greatest 
labour  and  trouble  to  the  study  of  the  law,  and  yet  negleet 
to  fulfil  it,  you  will  become  heirs  of  gehenna  at  your  death, 
while  you  have  enjoyed  no  pleasure  in  this  life."  This  ad- 
mits of  no  doubt.  "  Heretics,  traitors,  apostates,  epicuri- 
;»n8,  those  who  deny  the  law.  and  those  who  deny  the  res- 


OF   UMVKRSALISM  EXAMINED.  231 

eawettioa  of  the  deiid,  those  who  separate  themseWe*  Croni 
,the  doctrines  of  the  congregation,  and  those  who  cause  tcr- 
rour  among  the  dwellers  upon  earth,  and  those  who  have 
sinned  and  caused  many  lo  sin,  as  Jeroboam  the  son  of 
Nebat  and  his  conij-umions  ;  these  all  descend  into  geheana 
and  are  punished  therein  ages  of  ages,  as  it  is  \vritten. — 
And  they  shall  go  forth,  and  look  upon  the  carcases  of 
the  men  that  have  transgressed  against  me  ;  for  their  worm 
«hall  not  die,  neither  shall  the  lire  be  quenched;  and  they 
.shall  be  mi  abhojrinTj^jmto  all  flesh."  This  surely  extends 
the  meaning  to  afutiTre  worid.  "That  ungodly  man,  Tur- 
riis  Rufus,  asi;ed  Rabbi  Aliiba,  if  y6'<ir  Obc?  iii^^  thHvpoor, 
why  does  he  not  feed  them?  He  replied,  in  order  thait  we 
may  be  delivered  through  them  froin  the  judgement  of 
gehenna."  "  Whoever  carefully  celebrates  the  three  feast« 
to  be  instituted  every  sabbath  is  dehvered  from  three  ca- 
lamities*,, namely,  from  the  distress  at  the  coming  of  the 
Messiah,  from  the  judgement  of  gehenna,  and  from  the  war 
ofgogand  magog."  "  God  will  redeem  my  soul  from 
condemnation  to  gehenna,  and  he  has  delivered  my  body 
from  condemnation  to  gehenna."  "  God  hath  set  the  one 
against  the  other,  that  is,  gehenna  and  paradise."  *'You 
will  escape  the  judgement  of  gehenna,  and  your  portion 
will  be  with  Sarah,  Rebecca,  Rachel  and' Leah."  "  Th« 
iire  of  gehenna  does  not  prevail  against  the  sinners  of  Isra- 
el so  as  to  consume  them,  but  tliey  are  sent  down  into  it  to 
be  frightened  and  scorched  awhile  on  account  of  their  evil 
deeds;  afterwards  Abraham,  who  kept  all  the  command- 
ments and  went  down  into  the  fire  of  the  Chaldeans  to  sauc- 
lify  the  name  of  God,  descends  thither,  and  through  his 
merits  brings  them  forth  from  thence  that  he  may  establish 
the  promise  of  the  covenant."  I  could  extend  my  quota- 
tions to  an  indefinite  number;  but  sufficient  have  been  pre- 
sented for  all  necessary  purposes.  Vv'^etstein.  Mat.  in.  9; 
V.  22:  XXVIII.  15,  33;  Luke  xxiii.  43;  Bartoloccius 
Part  I.  p.  143,  148, 138,  133." 

This  proof  is  sufficient  to  overthrow  all  that  has  been 

written  on  the  other   side   in  the  present  age.     The  same 

author  well  says;     "f  would  further  remark,  that  I  cao- 

not  believe  all  commentators  of  note,  of  every  denominH- 

tion*'who  have  had  no  special  interests  to  serve,  could  haye 

been  mistaken  in  the  meaning  of  this  Hebrew  word.     They 

have  spent  months  imd  even  years  in  studies  connected 

with  this  question;  they  had  no  cause  at  heart  but  truth; 

ihey  ^Y8re   qualified  for   »i»ch    inreatigations;   and   on   the 


234  AHGUMEWfS  Ai^D  VUtHCttLt^S 

nunciatioiis  contained  in  our  passages.  And  there  is  no 
criticism  that  can  evade  the  fact,  that  this  word  was  used 
and  understood  in  our  Saviour's  time,  to  signify  a  state  of 
punishment  beyond  this  hfe.  That  Jesus  used  it  in  that 
sense  in  the  above  scriptures;  and  did  teach  plainly,  and 
as  plainly  as  he  had  language  to  teach,  the  existence  of  fu- 
ture punishment.  And  the  doctrine  is  truth,  or  else  the 
Bible  is  not  a  divine  revelation,  and  Jesus  Christ  was  mista- 
ken, as  well  as  the  principal  part  of  mankind  in  all  ages  of 
the  world. 

SECTION  VIII. 

The  Rich  Man  and  Lazarus,  considered. 

*' There  was  a  certain  rich  man,  which  was  clothed  in 
purple  and  fine  linen,  and  fared  sumptuously  every  day. — 
And  there  was  a  certain  beggar  named  Lazarus,  which  was 
laid  at  his  gate,  full  of  sores,  And  desiring  to  be  fed  with 
the  crumbs  which  fell  from  the  rich  man's  table :  more^ 
over,  the  dogs  came  and  licked  his  sores.  And  it  came  to 
pass,  that  the  beggar  died,  and  was  carried  by  the  angels 
into  Abraham's  bosom  :  the  rich  man  also  died,  and  was 
buried  ;  And  in  hell  he  lifted  up  his  eyes,  being  in  tor- 
ments, and  seeth  Abraham  afar  off,  and  Lazarus  in  his  bo- 
som. And  he  cried,  and  said,  Father  xA.braham,  have  mer- 
cy on  me;  and  send  Lazarus,  that  he  may  dip  the  tip  of 
his  finger  in  water,  and  cool  my  tongue ;  for  I  am  tormen- 
ted in  this  flame.  But  Abraham  said.  Son,  remember  that 
thou,  in  thy  life  time,  receivedst  thy  good  things,  and  like- 
wise Lazarus  evil  things  :  but  now  he  is  comforted,  and 
thou  art  tormented.  And  besides  all  this,  between  us  and 
you,  there  is  a  great  gulf  fixed  ;  so  that  they  that  would 
pass  from  hence  to  you  cannot ;  neither  can  they  pass  to  us 
that  would  come  from  thence.  Then  he  said,  I  pray  thee, 
therefore,  father,  that  thou  wouldest  send  him  to  my  father's 
house.  For  I  have  five  brethren  ;  that  he  may  testify  un- 
to them,  lest  they  also  come  into  this  place  of  torment. 
Abraham  saithunto  him,  they  have  Moses  and  the  proph- 
ets; let  them  hear  them.  And  he  said,  nay,  fatljier  /  '^*'- 
ham,  but  if  one  went  unto  theni  from  the  dead,  thejis  -iH 
repent.  And  he  said  unto  him,  if  they  hear  not  Mos^  and 
the  prophets,  neither  will  they  be  persuaded  though  or>« 
roge  from  the  dead." — Luke  xvi.  19 — 31. 


OF  UMVERSALI8M   EXAMIXEH,  i3i> 

Thus  reads  the  "  parable  of  the  rich  mau,"  so  denomina- 
ted among  universahsts.  This  has  been  supposed,  in  ail 
ages  of  the  church,  to  refer  to  the  two  states  of  men  in  a 
future  world,  as  its  language  plainly  imports,  till  within  a 
few  years,  it  has  been  touched  with  the  raagick  wand  of 
universalism,  and  turned  mio  something  else !  The  author 
once  published  a  discourse  on  the  text,  and  was  about  a* 
successful  as  any  of  them  in  making  it  mean  something 
dst.  A  great  variety  of  meanings  are  given  to  such  hard 
passages  in  the  order:  but  it  seems  to  be  a  rule  among 
them  ;  that  it  is  unimportant  what  they  make  them  to 
mean,  prorvided  they  make  them  mean  something  else,  be- 
sides what  they  possitively  affirm  ;  and  sustain  that  some- 
thing with  some  appearance  of  plausibihty. 

They  say  it  is  a' parable !  Well,  that  circumstance  then 
gives  them  an  unbounded  license  to  invent crni/ sense  to  it; 
no  matter  ifitbe  so  far  oiT,  that  it  took  eighteen  hundred 
years  to  produce  a  single  individual  capable  of  guessing  at 
it.  But  unless  it  mean  something  else  entirely  foreign  to 
any  thing  which  the  description  naturally  implies,  it  would 
upset  universalism  :  therefore,  it  must  mean  something 
else!  And  if  there  be  nothing  else  within  the  reach  of 
ordinary  minds — nothing  that  could  be  thoughtof  for  eigh- 
teen hundred  years  in  ail  Christendom,  New  Eng^land,  fa- 
mous for  curious  inventions,  might  be  expected  to  invent 
the  curious  thing.  Well.  What  do  they  make  the  rich 
man  ?  Why  the  high  priest  of  Israel — and  yet  uot  exactly 
the  high  priest :  for  no  one  could  tell  which  of  the  high 
priests  ;  but  rather  the  office  or  its  incumbents  in  succes- 
sion ;  representing  the  Jewish  nation.  The  beggar  is  the 
Gentile  world.  The  desire  to  be  fed  with  crumbs,  was  the 
desire  of  the  Gentiles  to  obtain  the  knowledge  of  the  legal 
economy,  (which  desire,  however,  did  nQt  exist)  the  dogs 
that  licked  his  sdres,  were  Plato,  Socrates,  and  other  phil- 
osoph^ers  that  attempted  to  enlighten  the  Gentiles.  The 
{>oor  man's   death  was  the   conversion  of  the  Gentiles  to 


23<3  ARGUME.NTS  A.ND  PRINCIPLES 

Christ.  Th«  rich  man's  death  was  the  erni  of  the  Jewish 
priesthood.  His  being  in  hades  hfting  up  his  eye«  in  tor- 
ments, denotes  the  degraded  condition  of  the  Jewish  na- 
tion since  the  destruction  of  their  city,  (It  shouid  mean 
the  degraded  condition  of  the  high  priest ;  but  as  ail  the 
high  priests,  by  the  theory,  were  to  be  in  heaven,  the  mean- 
ing now  must  be  the  nation.)  His  seeingn Abraham  afar 
off,  &c.  means  that  the  dispersed  people  of  Israel  see  the 
Gentiles  in  the  faith  of  Abraham,  (but  the  Jews  have  not, 
in  their  degraded  state,  seen  the  christian  Gentiles  in  th« 
faith  of  Abraham.  Neither  have  they  discovered  them- 
selves in  errour,  felt  any  torment,  nor  asked  for  the  water 
of  gospel  life  to  mitigate  their  sufferings — they  have  not 
deplored  their  want  of  the  gospel  at  all  I) 

"  But  Abraham  said,  son,  remember  that  thou  in  thy  lif« 
time  receivedst  thy  good  things,"  &c.  This  signifies  that 
the  Jews  received  their  season  of  spiritual  prosperity  whil« 
the  Gentiles  were  in  unbelief;  and  now  the  Gentiles  re- 
ceive their  season  of  spiritual  enjoyment,  while  the  Jews 
are  in  unbelief.  And  this  decree  of  unbelief  against  the 
Jews,  in  favour  of  the  Gentiles  is  the  "  great  gulf." 

"  Then  he  said,  I  pray  thee,  therefore,  father,  that  thou 
wouldst  send  him  to  my  father's  house.  For  I  have  five 
brethren,"  &c.  What  this  means  universalists  have  nev- 
er been  able  to  agree.  Some  thinking  it  most  plausible  to 
call  it  one  thing  and  some  another.  It  has  been  a  point 
about  which  all  their  inventive  powers  have  been  employed. 
*'They  have  Moses  and  the  prophets,  let  them  hear  them." 
The  Jews  now  have  Moses  and  the  prophets  :  let  them 
learn  of  Christ  out  of  them,  instead  of  having  the  Gentiles, 
who  have  risen  from  a  dead  state  of  unbelief  and  sin,  com« 
and  preach  to  them  ! 

This  is  a  substantially  correct  outline  of  the  exposition 
universalist  writers  give  the  parable  ;  and  though  they  may 
dress  it  up  in  a  more  becoming  aspect,  they  cannot,  or  have 
not  given  a  better  one  without  spoiling  their  system.     But 


or  UMVERSALfSM   F.XAMl.NhD. 


237 


it  would  admit  of  as  many  equally  plausible  aud  imaginary 
expositions  as  there  are  men  to  invent  them.  They  seem 
to  ihlnU,  by  calling  it  a  parable,  they  obviate  every  difficul- 
ty, and  have  a  right  then  to  make  it  mean  any  thing  they 
please.  Hence,  instead  of  a  parable,  they  make  it  a  nddle  ; 
and  one  of  the  hardest  kind  to  guess.  ,,To  show  them 
that  they  have  not  guessed  the  only  interpretation  that  it 
admits  of,  on  the  ground  that  it  is  a  riddle,  as  they  seem  to 
suppose,  we  will  help  them  to  another:  for  although  we 
reject  their  system,  we  are  disjjosed  to  give  them  every 
accommodation.  So  when  they  get  sick  of  the  old  one, 
they  can  have  a  new  one,  and  can  have  the  advantage  of 
variety.  And  certainly  they  stand  a  better  chance  to  be 
right  with  two  meanings  than  with  only  one.  And  then  if 
any  weak  spots  are  found  in  either  interpretation,  they  can 
patch  them  up  by  taking  something  out  of  the  other.  The 
prophetick  parable  (or  riddle)  then,  shall  relate  to  the  glo- 
rious American  revolution !  And  we  will  explain  each  verso 
in  the  true  style  of  universalian  criticism. 

Ver.  19.  There  was  a  certain  rich  man,  &c.  This  is  no  less 
a  personage  than  the  king  of  England  ;  and  not  any  of  the 
kings  or  incumbents  of  the  English  throne,  but  it  is  George 
III.  who  was  rich,  and  fared  sumptuously  every  day,  aud 
in  several  particulars,  he  represents  the  British  nation. 

Verse  20.  And  there  was  a  certain  beggar. — The  beggar 
represents  his  majesty's  colonies  in  America.  Those 
people  were  poor ;  harrassed  and  distressed  by  the  cruel 
savages.  They  went  to  the  gate  of  the  royal  palace  for  all 
their  higher  officers;  for  their  arts  and  sciences,  manufac- 
tures, etc.  etc. 

Verse  21.  And  desiring  to  be  fed  ivith  the  crumbs. — In 
the  poverty  and  weakness  of  the  colonies,  they  desired  ev- 
ery thing  from  the  mother  country.  They  reverently  look- 
«-d  up  to  Parliament  for  the  very  crumbs  of  law  which  they 
enjoyed,  and' which  often  lay  long  upon  the  *' table''  of  that 
houi9»',  before  they  can^  over  to  tli*  colonies.     And  a^  thi- 


•2.3?        S     .^  ARCLME-NTS  AND  PRINCIPLES 

rich  and  opulent  often  throw  by  many  crumbs  from  their 
tables,  which  they  will  not  eat,  and  cast  them  out  to  the 
poor,  so  many  of  the  officers  and  laws  sent  over  to  Ameri- 
ca, were  such  as  would  not  be  submitted  to  in  England. 

Moreover  the  dogs  came  and  licked  his  sores.  The  dog« 
are  Franklin  and  other  American  snges,  who  used  to  pity 
the  sufferings  of  the  people,  and  with  their  tongues  tench 
them  industry,  economy,  and  other  means  of  improving 
their  condition. 

Verse  22.  And  it  came  to  j.ass  that  the  beggar  died. — 
The  colonies  died  a  political  death — died  to  all  allegiauco 
to  the  king — died  to  all  subordination — died  to  all  submis- 
sion and  afiection.  And  they  were  carried  by  angels,  or 
messengers  or  delegates,  (as  the  word  might  be  rendered; 
which  means  the  brave  compatriots,  who  signed  the  Dec- 
claration,)  into  Abraham's  bosom,  that  is,  Independente. — 
The  word  Abraham  signifies  a  Faiher  or  Patriarchy  and 
here  refers  to  Washington  the /a//\cr  of  his  country,  under 
whose  fatherly  care  the  Americans  found  peace  and  safety. 

The  rich  man  also  died  and  was  buried.  The  King,  Par- 
liament, and  all,  died  to  all  affection  for  the  colonies  ;  to  all 
sense  of  honour  and  justice,  and  to  every  thing  that  ought 
ro  have  influenced  them  toward  the  American  people.  And 
were  buried  in  avarice,  injustice  and  infamy. 

Verse  23.  And  in  hell  he  lifted  up  his  eyes,  being  in  tor- 
vi:nte.  Loaded  with  a  ponderous  national  debt,  aurroun- 
ded  by  jealous  and  hostile  kings,  torn  with  domestick 
divisions,  and  covered  with  the  reproach,  and  stung  with 
the  shame  of  losing  their  glory  in  America,  the  British  na- 
tion, at  last,  lifted  up  their  eyes,  being  in  torments,  and  saw 
the  colonies  afar  off,  free,  independent,  and  prosperous,  iij 
the  bosom,  or  under  the  paternal  governnient  of  the  great 
Washington. 

Verse  24.  And  he  cried  and  .mid. — Then  the  British  be- 
gan to  lament  their  condition;  and  they  greatly  desired  a 
revolution,  that  they  i.^'Jght  enjoy  such  inslitutinns  and  lib- 
erties, as  Americans  enjwved. 


Ol^UiN  I  VERBALISM  EXAMINK!)'  Jj      *"       21)^^ 

Verse  25-.  But  AhraJwm  mid,  So7i,  rememhcT  that  thou. 
By  this,  we^ire  to  understand  that  the  British  enjoyed  their 
«eason  of  prosperity  before;  but  now  tlie  United  States  en- 
joy theirs,  so  that  on  the  whole,  the  ways  of  Providence  are 
equal  to  both  nations. 

Verse  2G.  And  besides  all  this,  httiveen  us  and  you  there 
is  a  great  gulf.  The  great  gulf  is  the  Atlantick  Ocean! 
The  passing  over  this  gulf  is  possible  for  individuals,  but  is 
hazardous  and  difticult;  and  as  a  nation  the  British  cannot 
pass  the  gulf,  nor  enjoy  the  institutions  and  blessings  we 
enjoy. 

Verse  27.  Then  he  said,  I  pray  thee,  therefore,  father^ 
that  thou  tvouldest  send  him  to  my  father's  house,  &c.  This 
signifies  the  desire  of  the  English  people,  that  their  succes- 
sive and  future  Parliaments  shall  learn  moderation,  justice, 
and  clemency,  not  only  from  the  loss  of  their  colonies,  but 
from  the  example  of  American  policy,  so  as  not  to  involve 
the  future  generations  of  the  English  in  expense  and  sitf- 
fering. 

Verse  29.  ^Viey  have  Moses  and  the  Prophets.  But 
the  British  have  the  scriptures — they  have  the  true  princi- 
ples of  justice  and  law  drawn  out  by  their  sages,  civilians, 
and  statesmen;  and  if  they  will  not  hear  them,  neither 
would  they  hear,  though  an  American  should  cross  the  At- 
lantick to  teach  them. 

Now  we  seriously  believe  this  explanation  full  as  rational 
and  probable  as  the  one  generally  given  by  universalists. 
And  as  it  is  more  American^  we  see  not  why  it  should  not 
be  adopted  by  them !.  At  least  it  will  be  no  disadvantage  to 
them  to  have  two  ways  to  get  along  with  the  "rich  man" 
instead  of  one;  and  both  of  them  entitled  to  equal  consid- 
eration. It  may  be  objected  to  this  explanation  of  the 
Riddle  ;  that  it  carries  the  events  forward  eighteen  centuries 
from  the  time  it  was  spoken.  But  the  other  interpretation 
makes  eighteen  centuries  pass,  before  any  one  could  inter- 
pret it ;  and  it  is  more  likely  to  refer  to  pvents  about  colem- 


rich  and  opulent  often  throw  by  mauy  crumbs  from  thoh" 
tables,  which  they  will  not  eat,  and  cast  them  out  to  the 
])oor,  so  many  of  the  officers  and  laws  sent  over  to  Ameri- 
ca, were  such  as  would  not  be  submitted  to  in  England. 

Moreover  the  dogs  came  and  licked  his  sores.  Tbe  dog« 
are  Franklin  and  other  American  sages,  who  used  to  pity 
the  sufierings  of  the  people,  and  with  their  tongues  tench 
them  industry,  econoiny.  and  other  means  of  improving 
their  condition. 

Verse  22.  And  it  came  to  pass  that  the  beggar  died. — 
The  colonies  died  a  political  death — died  to  all  allegiance 
to  the  king — died  to  all  subordination — died  to  all  submis- 
sion and  afiection.  And  they  were  carried  by  augels,  or 
messengers  or  delegates,  (as  the  word  might  be  rendered; 
which  means  the  brave  compatriots,  who  signed  the  Dec- 
claration,)  into  Abraham's  bosom,  that  is,  Indeptndenee. — 
The  word  Abraham  signifies  a  Father  or  Patriarchy  and 
here  refers  to  Washington  the  father  of  his  country,  under 
whose  fatherly  care  the  Americans  found  peace  and  safety. 

Tht  rich  man  also  died  and  was  buried.  The  King,  Par- 
liament, and  all,  died  to  all  affection  for  the  colonies  ;  to  all 
sense  of  honour  and  justice,  and  to  every  thing  that  ought 
to  have  influenced  them  toward  the  American  people.  And 
were  buried  in  avarice,  injustice  and  infamy. 

Verse  23.  And  in  hell  he  lifted  up  his  eyes,  being  in  tor- 
vicnte.  Loaded  witli  a  ponderous  national  debt,  surroun- 
ded by  jealous  and  hostile  kings,  torn  with  domestick 
divisions,  and  covered  with  the  reproach,  and  stung  with 
the  shamo  of  losing  their  glory  in  America,  the  British  na- 
tion, at  last,  lifted  up  their  eyes,  being  in  torments,  and  saw 
the  colonies  afar  off,  free,  independent,  and  prosperous,  in 
the  bosom,  or  under  the  paternal  government  of  the  great 
Washington. 

Verse  24.  And  he  cried  and  said. — Then  the  British  be- 
j^an  to  lament  their  condition;  and  they  greatly  desired  a 
revolution,  that  they  (.''•ght  enjoy  sueh  insiilutinn?  and  lib- 
fM'lics,  as  Americans  enjwved. 


OF*  U.MVKR8AL1.S3I  fiXAMINKir  J/     *"       2?)^ 

Verse  25.  But  Abraham  mid,  Son,  rememher  that  thou. 
By  this,  we  are  to  understand  that  the  British  enjoyed  their 
season  of  prosperity  before;  but  now  the  United  States  en- 
joy tlieirs,  so  that  on  the  whole,  the  ways  of  Pr9vidence  are 
equal  to  both  nations. 

Verse  2G.  And  besides  ail  this,  beticeen  us  and  you  there 
is  a  great  gulf.  Tho  great  gulf  is  xhQ  Atlantic k  Ocean! 
The  passing  over  this  gulf  is  possible  for  individiials,  but  is 
hazardous  and  difficult;  and  as  a  nation  tlie  British  cannot 
pass  the  gulf,  nor  enjoy  the  institutions  and  blessings  we 
enjoy. 

Verse  27.  Then  lie  said,  I  pray  thee,  therefore,  father, 
that  thou  wouldesi  send  him  to  my  father^ a  house,  &c.  This 
signifies  the  desire  of  the  English  people,  that  their  succes- 
sive and  future  Parliaments  shall  learn  moderation,  justice, 
and  clemency,  not  only  from  the  loss  of  their  colonies,  but 
from  the  example  of  American  policy,  so  as  not  to  involve 
the  future  generations  of  the  English  in  expense  and  suf- 
fering. 

Verse  29.  They  have  Moses  and  the  Prophets.  But 
the  British  have  ihe  scriptures — they  have  the  true  princi- 
ples of  justice  and  law  drawn  out  by  their  sages,  civilians, 
and  statesmen;  and  if  they  will  not  hear  them,  neither 
would  they  hear,  though  an  American  should  cross  the  At- 
lantick  to  teach  them. 

Now  we  seriously  believe  this  explanation  full  as  rational 
and  probable  as  the  one  generally  given  by  universahsts. 
And  as  it  is  more  American^  we  see  not  why  it  should  not 
be  adopted  by  them !.  At  least  it  will  be  no  disadvantage  to 
them  to  have  two  ways  to  get  along  with  the  "rich  man" 
instead  of  one;  and  both  of  them  entitled  to  equal  consid- 
eration. It  may  be  objected  to  this  explanation  of  the 
Riddle  ;  that  it  carries  the  events  forward  eighteen  centuries 
from  the  time  it  was  spoken.  But  the  other  interpretation 
makes  eighteen  centuries  pass,  before  any  one  could  inter- 
pret it ;  and  it  is  more  likely  to  refer  to  pvents  about  colem- 


240  ARGUMENTS  AND   l*RI>Cll'LK(5 

poraneous  with  the  true  interpretation.  So  we  concluda 
our  own  guessing  or  invention  h  full  as  good  as  any  from 
the  land  of  proverbial  ingenuity,  if  not  a  little  better.  And 
it  is  not  unlikely,  this  same  interpretation,  in  a  future  age, 
will  come  out,  smoothed  over  in  the  plasiick  hand  of  some 
ingenious  yankee,  as  the  true  sense  of  Christ's  words !  But 
who  is  any  the  wiser  or  better  for  all  such  interpretations? 
By  taking  such  latitude,  the  word  of  God  is  turnerl  into 
riddles — dwarfed  down  to  an  unmeaning  fable,  which  every 
one  may  interpret  as  best  suits  his  interest  or  disposition! 
We  admit  this  passage  of  scripture,  is  doubtless  a  parable ; 
but  we  deny  that  it  is  a  riddle^  that  nothing  but  modern  wit 
could  guess.  1.  The  parables  of  our  Lord  are  all  designed 
to  teach  some  particular  truth;  or  impress  upon  the  mind 
some  special  important  duty.  They  are  plain  and  pointed 
narratives,  which  carry  their  meaning  forcibly  along  with 
them.  They  bring  home  the  truth  or  duty  to  the  mind  or 
conscience  of  the  hearers  with  clearness  and  power.  2. 
Many  circumstances  in  them,  are  mere  rhetorical  orna- 
ments or  imagery,  which  render  them  striking  and  interest- 
ing ;  but  which  were  never  designed  to  have  an  allegori- 
cal explanation.  3.  There  is  always^  some  circumstance, 
which  gave  rise  to  a  parable,  which  may  generally  be  found 
before  or  after  it ;  and  which  will  generally  exhibit  the 
lesson  designed  to  be  inculcated  by  the  parable.  For  in- 
stance, Christ  spoke  of  a  good  Samaritan,  because  one 
asked  who  was  'his  neighbour.  He  spoke  of  the  Pharisee 
and  Publican,  because  there  were  persons  present  whose 
selfrighteousness  he  wished  to  reprove.  4.  The  true  mean- 
ing of  a  parable  must  be  such  a  one  as  would  be  perceived 
by  the  hearers,  else  it  would  not  be  pertinent,  interesting  or 
useful.  It  would  neither  enlighten  nor  reform  them. — 
Well,  the  hearers  of  our  Saviour  when  be  spoke  this  para- 
ble believed  in  future  rewards  and  punishments.  They 
believed  some  would  be  carried  at  death  into  Abraham*s^ 
bosom,  which  was   a  phrase    common  and  familiar  among 


OF  UNIVERSALISM  EXAftllNED.  241 

the  Jews  to  denote  a  place  of  happiness  after  death.  There 
is  a  quotation  in  the  Babylonish  Talmud,  which  will  evince 
this,  "Holy  men  did  all  they  could  to  detairs  Rabbi  Judah 
here,  but  angels  carried  him  to  heaven :  now  he  sits  in 
Abraham's  bosom."  They  believed  too  that  wicked  men 
at  death  went  into  hadts,  and  were  there  tormented.  The 
word  hades  we  may  say  here  does  not  itself  necessarily  im- 
ply a  place  of  misery.  It  signifies,  and  was  used  to  desig- 
nate the  jjlace  of  departed  spirits  or  the  unseen  state.  We 
employ  the  word  eternity  in  the  same  sense,  when  we  say 
of  one  *'hehas  gone  io  eternity,'^  meaning  the  invisible 
world.  Our  Lord's  expression  might  be  rendered  in  its 
true  sense  thus ;  "  The  rich  man  also  died,  and  was  bur- 
ied, and  in  the  other  icorhl,  he  lifted  up  his  eyes,  being  in 
torments."  Now  hades  (hell)  was  not  used  to  signify  that 
he  went  to  misery,  but  only  into  the  invisible  worM;  and 
to  show  that  he  was  miserable,  it  is  added  "  being  in  tor- 
ments." Hades^  among  the  classick  Greeks,  was  the  invis- 
ible world,  which  was  supposed  to  be  divided  into  two  com- 
partments. The  one  called  Elysium,  for  the  good  ;  and 
the  other  called  Tartarus,  for  the  wicked.  All  of  which 
corresponds  with  the  common  views  of  christians.  Hades 
does  not  signify  a  place  of  misery,  but  the  invisible  world; 
and  in  his  parable  he  makes  a  man  to  go  into  the  future 
world,  and  declares  that  he  was  tormented  there.  Be  it  a 
parable.  Was  it  not  calculated  to  confirm  those  people 
who  believed  in  those  two  states  after  death,  in  the  actual 
existence  of  two  such  states  ?  Especially,  when  he  declar- 
ed, that  both  of  these  individuals  had  diedhefore  they  pass- 
ed into  these  states?  And  more  especially,  when  he  tells 
the  rich  man,  that  he  had  his  good  things  in  his  life  time^ 
and  Lazarus  evil  things  ;  but  now  in  this  other  life,  or  sec- 
ond state  of  existence,  Lazarus  is  comforted,  but  the  rich 
man  is  tormented  ?  And  to  confirm  them  still  farther  in 
this  view,  he  represents  one  going  from  that  world  or  state 

where  Lazarus  was,  to  the  state  where  the  rich  man  had 

21 


242  ARGUMENTS  A>L>  rKl.NCU'LLS 

been,  as  rising  from  the  dead.  "Neither  would  thev  be 
persuaded  though  one  rose  from  the  dead."  Now  we  asik, 
was  not  the  whole  construction  of  this  parable,  from  begin- 
ning to  end — its  phraseology — and  every  thing  about  it, 
calculated  to  induce  a  belief  that  the  common  opinion  of 
two  slates  after  death,  was  the  opinion  of  Christ;  and  the 
opinion  which  he  knew  his  hearers  would  understand  him 
to  inculcate,  and  which  he  must  have  intended  they  should 
understand  him  to  inculcate?  Nay  more — Jesus  knew  not 
only  that  they  must,  but  that  they  had  a  right  so  to  under- 
stand him;  and  could  not  understand  him  any  other  way. 
Was  Jesus  a  universalist  missionary  from  heaven — and  yet 
speaking  parables  which  plainly  and  indisputably  recogni- 
zed the  common  opinion  of  two  states  beyond  death,- when 
he  knew  he  should  and  must  be  so  understood?  When  he 
knew  his  hearers  and  disciples  would  so  understand  him  in 
every  age  for  eighteen  hundred  years  ?  When  he  knew  too, 
that  his  language  plainly  and  unequivocally  recognized  the 
principle ;  and  that  neither  men  nor  Satan  could  ever  con- 
trive any  other  sense  to  it,  till  this  age  of  remarkable  inven- 
tions? Be  it  a  parable.  We  contend  not  for  a  literal  in- 
terpretation of  it,  but  we  do  contend  for  ihcit principle,  which 
a  parable  so  formed,  so  worded,  and  delivered  to  such  a 
people,  on  such  an  occasion,  by  such  a  personage  as  Jesus 
Christ,  is  calculated  to  support. 

We  will  here  give  some  extracts  from  that  superexcellent 
work,  from  which  we  enriched  this  volume  on  Gehenna. 

"  I  will  now  present  you  with  my  exposition  of  the  para- 
bio.  You  may  determine  its  extent  and  import  in  some 
degree  from  tjie  context.  After  relating  the  parable  of  the 
unjust  steward,  our  Saviour  warns  his  disciples  in  the 
hearing  of  many  others,  against  an  undue  attachment  to 
worldly  possessions,  which  he  represents  under  the  figure 
of  mammon,  a  Syrian  divinity,  answering  to  the  classical 
Plutus  the  god  of  riches.  "  Ye  cannot  serve  God  and  mam- 
mon. Wheu  the  covetous  pharisees  heard  all  these  things 
they  derided  him.  Here  then  you  have  the  occasion  on 
which  the  following  parable  was  related,  and  of  course,  you 
will  look  for  something  pertinent  to  the  occasion.     The  sa- 


OF  UNIVERSALlSiM  EXAMINED.  243 

red  historian  would  not  have  mentioned  the  derision  of  the 
t'ovttous  Pharisees  unless  to  have  introduced  the  discourse 
to  which  their  derision  gave  rise.  Their  scornful  looks, 
words,  or  actions,  it  appears,  broke  off  his  discourse  to  his 
disciples,  and  he  turns  immediately  to  them  with  these 
words:  "ye  are  they  which  justify  yourselves  before  men 
but  God  knowethyour  hearts."  lie  then  assures  them  in 
the  following  verses  of  the  perpetuity  of  the  moral  obliga- 
tions of  the  law,  implies  that  it  was  not  his  office  to  relax  or 
abrogate  it,  but  to  render  its  requisitions  the  more  strict. — 
He  then  proceeds  to  rebuke  more  particularly  that  sin, 
which  had  always  been  the  most  prominent  in  his  reproach- 
es of  the  pharisees,  a  supreme  love  of  wealth,  which  they 
had  sought  by  extortion  from  the  widow,  the  orphan,  and 
the  fatherless. 

Now  to  discern  the  point  of  the  parable,  you  must  re- 
member the  fundamental  errour  of  the  pharisees  on  this 
subject.  When  Jusus  said  ye  cannot  serve  God  and  mam- 
mon, it  was  a  hard  saying  to  them.  For  they  had  attempt- 
ed to  serve  both;  they  had  thought  their  sei-vice  accep- 
table in  the  sight  of  heaven;  they  had  imagined  that  while 
their  hearts  were  bound  u[)  in  this  world's  goods  they  were 
still  faithful  in  their  duty  to  God,  were  objects  of  his  spe- 
cial favour,  and  the  heirs  of  his  kingdom.  And  this  sin  h 
the  very  point  at  which  our  Saviour  aims  in  this  parable. 
His  grand  design  is  to  teach  that  riches,  do  not  commend  a 
man  to  the  favour  of  our  Father,  or  confer  permanent  felici- 
ty; but  that  covetousness  must  be  punished  hereafter.  In 
order  to  do  this  he  represents  an  affluent  man,  surroundo<l 
by  every  object  of  desire,  seeking  happiness  in  splendid  at- 
tire and  sumptuous  living.  He  neglects  his  social  duties, 
is  selfish  and  unfeeling.  A  beggar  is  laid  at  his  gate,  poor, 
diseased,  and  miserable.  He  lays  there  from  day  to  day 
unheeded.  He  finds  more  sympathy  from  the  dogs  than 
from  nis  rich  fellow  man.  At  length  he  dies,  and  is  carri- 
ed by  angels  into  Abraham's  bosom."     Page  21.5. 

Again,  continues  the  same  author — 

"The  Jews,  as  appears  from  their  own  writers,  regarded 
hades  as  a  vast  subterranean  receptacle  for  souls,  which 
('ontained  in  its  upper  i)art,  paradise;  and  in  its  lower  part 
gehenna.  In  this  hades  the  rich  man  goes.  He  is  in  tor- 
ment. And  here  is  introduced  a  circumstance,  tending 
forcibly  in  unison  with  the  main  design  of  the  |)arable,  to 
show  the  worthlessness  of  riches,  tie  is  represented  as 
calling  to  the  poor  beggar  for  assistance.  His  riches  avail 
him  nothing:  and  he  would  rejoice  to  change  places  with 
Lazarus.     But  this  is  not  permitted.     And  here  Abraham 


244 


ARGUMENTS  AND  PRINCIPLES 


is  introduced  to  apply  the  inoral  of  the  pnrable,  and  the 
amount  of  his  preaching  is  simply  this.  AVhea  iiHve  you 
possessefl  what  you  considered  the  greatest  good,  which 
from  its  very  nature  you  could  not  bring  with  you  into  the 
next  existence.  Lazarus  indeed  sullered  severely  while  on 
earth,  but  his  suft'erings  were  of  such  a  nature  that  death 
terminated  them.  Now  you  are  necessarily  miserable,  be- 
cause you  have  lost  the  wealth  in  which  you  trusted.  He 
is  happy  because  he  has  escaped  from  those  bodily  suffer- 
ings v.hich  belong  to  earth.  The  rich  man  is  then  made 
to  express  a  tender  concern  for  his  brothers  who  were  fol- 
lowing his  example:  and  he  wishes  to  have  Lazarus  sent 
to  warn  them  of  their  folly  and  wickedness.  He  is  answer- 
ed that  if  they  will  not  keep  the  moral  law  of  tlie  Old  Tes- 
tament, it  would  hardly  profit  them  to  hear  a  messenger 
from  the  dead.  How  simple,  how  clear,  how  beautiful  the 
instruction  of  our  Saviour."     Page  217. 

Yes,  we  say,  be  it  a  parable.  Accuse  us  not  of  confining 
it  to  a  literal  construction.  But  we  say  it  is  not  a  riddle,  it 
is  a  parable,  a  parable  too  which  meant  something — which 
could  be  understood — which  recognized  not  only  a  future 
existence,  but  a  state  of  happiness  and  misery  there.  No 
parable  could  be  invented,  and  expressed  in  words  that 
would  teach  the  doctrine  more  positively  or  more  certainly. 
We  are  not  obliged  to  suppose  our  Saviour  confirmed  all 
the  particularities  of  the  Jewish  belief  about  the  future 
state  :  but  we  are  obliged  to  supj^ose  he  confirmed  as  much 
as  is  positively  implied  in  his  language.  That  one  happy 
state,  and  another  state  of  misery  in  the  future  life,  are  re- 
cognized by  him  in  this  parable,  as  well  as  generally,  is  so 
certain  as  to  admit  of  no  dispute  exce{)t  with  those,  who 
will  not  assent  to  the  force  of  language,  nor  bow  to  the 
most  positive  declarations  of  Scripture.  Nat  a  single  man 
would  ever  give  this  parable  a  dilTerent  sense  from  this, 
were  it  not  for  the  purpose  of  getting  it  out  of  his  way. — 
What  vast  numbersof  passages  have  been  so  explained,  as 
to  make  them  entirely  useless  and  frivolous,  if  not  nonsen- 
sical and  absurd,  for  the  solo  purpose  of  gettin-r  them  out 
of  the  way  of  a  creed  I 


or  ^J^'1V£RSAL1SM  EXAMliNED,  24-5 


SECTION  IX. 

The  duration  of  future  miserij.,  and  the  Greek  adjective 
AIONIOS,  considered. 

1.  Before  we  refer  to  paiticular  texts,  it  seems  necessary 
to  answer  saiuie  cavils  against  the  perpetuity  of  future  pun- 
ishment. It  is  said,  sin  cannot  be  infinite ;  and  conse- 
quently punishment  cannot  be  infinite  :  and  of  course  can- 
not be  endless.  Whatever  may  be  thought  by  some,  the 
author  of  this  volume  docs  not  conceive  sin  to  be  infinite. 
Nothing  can  be  infinite,  which  admits  of  degrees,  and  sins 
vary  in  enormity  so  much  that  no  two  are  scarcely  alike,  or 
equally  criminal.  Neither  does  the  writer  conceive  pun- 
ishment to  be  infinite.  But  that  may  be  endless  which  is 
not  infinite.  Man  is  supposed  to  have  an  endless  existence  ; 
but  none  would  say  that  man's  existence  is  infinite. 

It  will  be  said  chat  man's  sins  are  not  endless  any  more 
than  they  are  infinite.  No:  but  they  certainly  will  be 
endless  unless  he  reforms.  The  more  corrupt  an  individ- 
ual becomes,  the  greater  efibrt  becomes  necessary  to  reform 
him.  We  have  seen  the  young  and  tender,  lipon  being 
convicted  of  an  oftence,  easily  softened  and  broken  into 
contrition,  when  old  and  experienced  villains  become  har- 
dened and  callous  in  iniquity.  The  more  they  sin,  the 
farther  they  are  from  penitence ;  the  stronger  their  pro- 
pensities, the  more  ungovernable  their  passions,  and  the 
more  incurable  thejr  habits.  The  drunkard  resolves  by 
and  by  to  reform ;  he  breaks  the  resolution,  and  re-resolves  ; 
but  every  indulgence  makes  reformation  one  degree  more 
<lifficult,  and  leaves  him  one  degree  less  of  moral  courage 
and  strength  of  resolution,  than  he  had  before,  so  that  he 
is  constantly  removing  farther  and  farther  from  the  proba- 
bility of  reformation.     He  gets  at  Jast  so  far  that  he  has  not 

resolution  enough  to  reform.     It  may  be  said  of  such  that 

21* 


246  ARGU3IENTS  AND  PRINCIPLES 

they  cannot  reform.  Yet  God  permits  them  to  suner  the 
loss  of  wealth,  of  reputation,  and  health,  and  to  be  iuvoh'ed 
in  all  the  coinplicaled  afrlictions  attendant  on  sych  a  course, 
as  much  as  if  they  retained  the  control  of  their  appetites 
and  resolutions.  So  with  the  voluptuary,  the  gamster,  the 
debauche,  and  all  the  victims  of  dissipation  and  criminality. 
Nbtwithstaridrng'they  have  lost  their  virtuous  resolutions, 
become  dead  to  mora!  feelings,  and  tdtirf4y  kieapacitated  to 
relish  the  sober  charms  of  virtuous  and  honourable  life,  God 
permits  them  to  suffer  the  natural  consequences  of  their 
condition  whatever  it  may  be.  So  the  wicked  may  be- 
come so  hardened  andstupified  in  sin,  when  rhey  enter  up- 
on another  state  of  being,  as  to  have  no  power  to  reform — 
no  moral  sense — no  relish  for  piety — and  no  affinity  of  feel- 
ing for  any  thing  that  is  lovely,  amiable,  or  good.  All  the 
dormant  sources  of  virtuous  resolution — all  the  finer  feel- 
ings of  humanity — all  the  slumbering  springs  of  moral  vital- 
ity, given  at  their  birth,  may  be  dried  up,  benumed,  and  en- 
chained, in  the  lethal  powers  of  moral  death.  So  that  they 
have  no  moral  ability — no  taste,  wish,  or  capacity  to  reform. 
But  every  element  of  their  nature — every  propensity  and 
feeling  may  be  to  execrate  the  Author  of  their  being,  and 
to  abhor  and  detest  whatever  is  good.  And  yet  God  may 
suffer  them  to  be  as  unhappy  as  they  are  sinful ;  and  in  so 
doing,  he  would  be  pursuing  the  same  principle  of  govern- 
ment that  we  have  seen  occasionaly  indicated  in  this  world. 
Have  we  not  seen  the  murderer  abandoned  to  ail  the  miser- 
ies of  his  condition,  notwithstanding  the  murder  was  the 
result  of  an  almost  total  abandonment  of  all  moral  princi- 
ple ?  Have  we  not  seen  the  drunkard,  in  a  delirium  of  in- 
toxication, when  he  had  no  self  control,  commit  deeds  of 
horrour  for  which  he  is  made  accountable,  and  for  which 
he  suffers?  Those  principles  that  are  good  enough  for 
the  Deity  to  act  upon  now,  may  be  good  enough  for  him  to 
adhere  to  at  any  other  time,  and  at  all  other  times.  We  see 
the  wicked  here  plunging  into  crime  deeper  and  deeper; 


OF   UNIVERSALISM  EXA3IINED.  247 

andsufiering  in  the  necessary  consequences  ot*  their  vices: 
and  only  made  more  des{)erate  and  unyielding  and  intatua- 
ted  by  all  their  misfortunes  and  miseries.  Why  may  it  not 
be  so  with  some  in  another  state  of  conscious  being?  Reas- 
on cannot  prove  the  contrary — Philosophy  cannot  dispute 
it.  Le*  us  then  examine  the  only  authority  on  this  subject 
— the  Bible. 

2.  It  is  necessary  here  to  examine  into  the  true  and  prop- 
er import  of  the  word  aionion,  an  epithet  used  in  the  Greek 
Testament  to  denote  the  duration  of  rewards  and  punish- 
ments, or  the  happiness  of  heaven  and  the  misery  of  hell. 
We  have  had  avast  deal  of  universahst  criticism  and  learn- 
ing on  this  word.  And  the  author  used  verily  to  believe, 
that  the  word  literally  signified  lasting,  or  as  universalists 
generally  define  it,  age-lasting.  The  reason  he  thought 
so,  was,  that  he  had  only  read  universalist  authors  on  the 
word,  and  thought  them  infallible  on  such  subjects.  We 
liave  taken  pains  to  examine  the  subject  so  far  as  was  pos- 
sible; and  will  give  a  candid  and  conscientious  account  of 
it ;  and  the  more  so,  because  many  have  not  an  opportuni- 
ty to  examine  it  for  themselves. 

The  Greek  word  aionioii  is  an  adjective,  which  is  derived 
from  the  noun  aion,  which  noun  is  itself  derived  from  aei, 
(always,)  and  own,  (being,)  literally  signifying,  always  being. 
ParUhurst's  first  definition  is,  '■'Both  in  the  singular  and 
plural,  it  signijies  Eternity,  whether  past  or  to  come,'^  This, 
the  learned  author  gives,  as  the  literal  meaning  of  the  word 
as  we  might  suppose  from  its  derivation  and  root.  But  all 
the  learned  know,  that  Greek  words,  by  a  latitude  of  use 
among  the  ancients,  were  occasionally  used  in  a  sense  dif- 
fering a  little  from  their  original  meaning — in  a  sense  a  lit- 
tle restrained  or  enlarged,  when  they  become  significant  of 
a  variety  of  ideas;  but  in  such  cases,  the  first  or  original 
meaning  is  the  true  one  generally,  and  always,  except  where 
the  connexion  and  subject  show  the  contrary.  Parkhurst 
goes  on,  and  says  in  the  second  sense,  it  denotes,  ^'the  du- 


24S  ARtiUMJ:NTS  AND  f Kl>'tlPLES  ^ 

ration  of  this  world.'^  Id  the  third  place  he  quotes  some 
cases  where  it  means  "  tlie  ages  of  the  world.'"  In  the 
fourth  place,  ''  this  present  life,  this  world."  In  the  fifth 
place,  '^the  world  to  come,  the  next  life.''  And  sixth,  '-'an 
age,  period,  or  periodical  dispensation  of  divine  providence.'' 
So  much  for  the  noun  aion,  which  we  shall  call  up  again 
in  due  time;  and  from  which  the  adjective  aionion  is  deri- 
ved, which  is  prefixed  to  future  punishment  and  future 
happiness;  and  is  rendered  in  our  English  Testament  ti;- 
erlasting  and  eternal.  Uuiversalist  criticks  have  condem- 
ned the  translation,  and  defined  rhe  word  to  signify  age- 
lasting  instead  of  eternal;  not  because  aion,  from  which  it 
is  derived,  primarily  signifies  nn  age — not  because  its  com- 
mon and  first  meaning  is  age  ;  nor  its  second;  nor  its  third  : 
nor  its  fourth;  nor  indeed  its  fifth ;  but  its  sixth  I  Aion  has 
been  used,  by  a  great  latitude  of  expression,  to  signify  an 
age  ;  hence,  they  say  aionion  must  mean,  literally,  age-last- 
ing! Or  as  some  would  make  it  out,  it  has  no  meaning  at 
all :  for  they  say  "  it  means  more  or  less,  without  any  definite 
signification."  We  might  as  well  have  such  a  word  trans- 
lated in  the  Testament  thus,  ''any  thing  that  will  best  com- 
port withyour  theory  "/  But  why  do  not  those  erudite  crit- 
icks tell  their  readers,  that  aion,  in  its  primary  and  literal 
sense,  is  eternity,  and  that  aionion  being  derived  from  it,  in 
its  primary  and  literal  sense,  is  eternal/  For  this  plain 
reason,  it  would  not  suit  their  theory!  This  is  the  only 
reason. 

Parkhurst  defines  the  word  aio7uo3  in  its  frst  and  literal 
sense,  to  mean,  '^  Kternal,  having  neither  begi7iningnor  end. 
In  its  seconc? sense,  ''Eternal,  without  end.''  In  its  third,  he 
quotes  a  text  in  Jude,  verse  7,  where  it  is  applied  to  the 
fire  which  destroyed  Sodom  and  Gomorrah;  but  thinks  it 
is  there  used  figuratively,  as  an  emblem  of  the  future  eter- 
nal perdition  of  the  wicked.  The  Lexicon  gives  a  few  oth- 
er instances,  in  which  the  word  is  used  figuratively  without 
implying  endless  duration.     Parkhurst's  Lexicon  is  sus- 


OF  O.NlVERaALISM  KXA-^U^KO-  -41) 

tained  by  the  most  learned  authorities,  <\m\  universally  al- 
lowed to  be  the  standard. 

From  this  high  authority  it  comes  out,  that  the  noted 
Greek  adjective  aionion.  signifies  eternal.  This  is  its  first —  v 
its  primary — its  literal  meaning:  and  there  is  no  word  eith- 
er in  the  Greek  language  or  any  other  language,  that  ex- 
presses endless  duration  more  distinctly  and  unequivocally 
than  this  word. 

But  Jifter  all,  it  is  contended,  the  word  is  sometimes  ap- 
plied to  things  not  literally  endless  in  their  duration.  This 
is  true,  but  it  alters  not  the  literal  meaning  oi"  the  word. — 
Who  will  deny  that  the  primary  and  literal  sense  of  the 
English  words  eternal  and  everlasting  is  endless  duration! 
Yet  these  words  are  not  unfrequenlly  applied  to  things, 
which  we  do  not  suppose  to  be  literally  endless.  But  when 
we  so  use  the  words,  we  speak  figuratively.  The  figure  is 
called  by  rhetoricians  a  hyperhole ;  that  is,  an  exaggeration. 
The  object  of  such  figures  of  speech  is  to  magnify  the  sub- 
ject of  discourse.  Hence,  in  the  use  of  this  figure,  an  ad- 
jective of  unlimited  meaning  is  sometimes  applied  to  things 
that  are  limited;  but  it  is  not  done  to  limit  the  sense  of  the 
adjective,  but  to  magnify  the  thing  to  which  we  apply  it. 
As  when  we  say,  "  they  ran  like  the  wind,  or  like  lightning," 
we  do  not  mean  the  wind  or  lightning  is  any  less  swit't  than 
common;  but  by  this  comparison,  we  intend  to  magnify 
the  fieetness  of  those  who  ran.  This  figure  is  no  improp- 
er deception,  but  often  renders  expressions  agreeable;  and 
much  of  the  beauty  and  force  of  eloquence  depends  upon 
its  use.  So  when  we  say  the  "everlasting  hills,"  we  do 
not  mean  that  the  term  everlasting  does  not  signify  everlast- 
ing; but  we  mean  by  the  use  of  this  unlimited  adjective  to 
magnify  the  idea  of  the  great  durability  of  the  hills.  The 
term  in  such  cases  is  used  in  a  figurative  or  hyperbolical 
sense.  In  the  same  manner  precisely,  the  term  aionion  is 
occasionally  used  hyperbolically  to  magnify  our  ideas  of 
things,  which  are  known  to    be  limited  or  not   absolutely 


'^.3U  ARGUMKNTS   A.ND  TUI  .N  Cli'LES 

endless.  Yet  such  figurative  use  of  the  word  does  not 
disprove  its  unlimited  siguific^ation,  any  more  than  llie  saule 
use  of  eternal  and  everlasting  disproves  their  unlimited 
meaning.  Hence,  it  follows  as  an  undeniable  truth,  that 
the  Greek  aionion  and  the  English  etenuil  and  everlasting 
are  synonymous  and  of  the  same  import;  and  both,  in  their 
primary  and  literal  sense,  signify  endless  duration.  And 
they  should  both  be  always  so  understood,  unless  the  nature 
of  the  expression  shows  them  to  be  used  figuratively  to 
magnify  their  subjects. 

It  is  said,  that  aionion  is  noi  so  expressive  of  endless  du- 
ration as  other  words  in  the  Greek  language;  and  if  the 
writers  meant  to  signify  endless  misery,  they  would  have 
applied  the  term  akatalutos^  which  occurs  in  Heb.  vii  :  IG. 
"  Who  is  made,  not  after  the  law  of  a  carnal  command- 
ment, but  after  the  power  of  an  (akatalutou)  er.t//ess  life." 
Now,  the  truth  is,  this  word  would  not  have  been  so  expres- 
sive of  endless  duration  as  the  word  they  used.  Instead  of 
being  derived  from  a  noun,  M'hich  literally,  in  its  primary 
meaning,  signifies  eternity,  it  is  derived  from  a  (not)  and 
katalutos  (dissolved)  and  signifies  not  dissolved.  And  the 
apostle  used  this  word  above,  more  v.'ith  reference  to  the 
indissoluble  nature  of  Christ,  as  distinguished  from  those 
priests,  who  were  made  after  the  power  of  a  carnal  (frail, 
dying,)  commandment,  than  with  reference  to  the  special 
and  absolute  eternity  of  his  existence.  But  we  might  as 
well  contend,  that  because  the  word  indissoluble  implies 
endless  duration,  therefore,  eternal  i]oes  not  imply  it;  as  to 
contend,  that  because  the  word  akatalutos  implies  endless 
duration,  therefore,  aionion  does  not.  Akatalutos  is  the 
most  proper  Greek  word  to  express  indissoluble;  Aphthar- 
tos  to  express  incorruptible  or  immortal ;  and  Aionios  (neu- 
ter) Aionion,  to  express  eternal  or  everlasting.  When,  sim- 
ply, endless  duration  is  to  be  expressed  by  an  adjective, 
there  is  no  other  word  in  the  Greek  language  so  proper  for 
that  expression  as  aionios.     It  is  tlie  word  generally  chosen 


OF  rNIVl^RSALISM  KXAMIM'.D.  251 

foi-  iliut  purpose  by  the  sacred  writers.  Nay,  they  always 
used  it,  when  they  v/ould  quuHly  a  noun  solely  in  reference 
to  its  eternal  duration. 

The  objection  universaHsts  bring  to  aionios,  that  it  is 
sometimes  used  figuratively  without  implying  an  endless 
duration,  would  apply  equally  against  any  other  word. 
For  instance,  akatalutos  (indissoluble)  might  be  applied, 
in  a  hyperbolical  manner,  to  things  which  are  not  easily 
dissolved  ;  and  aphihartos  (incorruptible)  to  things  which 
approximate  near  to  incorruptibility.  But  such  magnify- 
ing expressions  do  not  limit  the  ■literal  signification  of  the 
words  at  all.  We  may  further  add  that  this  view  of  the 
word  aionion  is  sustained,  not  only  by  Parkhurst,  but  by 
Macliuight,  Campbell,  Clarke,  and  9II  other  eminent  lin- 
guists, who  have  been  qualified  to  judge,  and  have  spent 
years  in  the  investigation,  exce])t  some  men,  who  have  de- 
fined the  word  for  the  express  purpose  of  getting  rid  of  it. 
And  had  the  sacred  authors  applied  any  other  word  in  the 
Greek  language  to  future  punishment,  these  men  would 
have,  doubtless,  found  it  equally  manageable,  and  flexible. 
And  yet  they  have  the  spunk  to  tell  us,  that  all  the  above 
learned  authors  bear  them  out  in  their  definitions  I  They 
make  it  out  in  the  same  way,  that  they  make  Wesley  and 
Clarke  imiversalists?  If  the  other  Greek  adjectives  we 
have  noticed  are  not  used  in  a  figurative  and  limited  sense 
in  the  Testament,  it  is  because  they  are  unimportant  words, 
and  seldom  used  in  the  book,  not  because  they  might  not 
be  so  used  with  equal  propriety. 

3.  We  will  now  bring  together  a  number  of  instances  in 
whicli  the  term  aionion  occurs,  and  is  rendered  sometimes 
eternal  and  sometimes  everlastins;. 

"  But  is  in  danger  o{  eternal  damnation."  Mark  iii.  29. 
"  Even  his  eternal  power  and  godhead."  Rom.  i.  20.  "  A 
far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory."  II.  Cor. 
IV.  17.  "  But  the  things  which  are  not  seen  are  eternal.'" 
ver.  18.     "  We  have  a  building  with  God,  a  house  not 


Z,y-Z  AllGUMENTS  AM)  PKI.NCIPLKS 

iniule  with  hands,  efcrnflnn  the  heavens."  v.  1.  "Ac- 
cording to  the  cfenif// purpose  which  he  purposed  in  Christ 
Jesus  our  Lord."  Eph.  iii.  11.  "  Now  unto  the  king 
eternal.''  I.  Tim.  i.  17.  "  That  they  may  also  obtain  the 
salvation  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  whh  tternal  glory."  II. 
Tim.  II.  10.  "And  being  made  perfect  he  became  the 
author  of  e/ernc/  salvation  unto  all  them  that  obey  him." 
Heb.  V.  9,  "  And  of  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  and  of 
ffernff7  judgement."  vi.  2.  "He  entered  in  once  into 
the  holy  place,  having  obtained  e^erwaZ  redemption  for  us." 
IX.  12.  "  Who  through  the  eternal  spirit  oifered  himself." 
ver.  14.  "  They  which  are  called  might  receive  the  prom- 
ise of  efernaZ  inheritance."  ver.  15.  "  Who  has  called  us 
unto  his  eternal  glory."  I.  Pet.  v.  10.  "  Rather  than 
having  two  hands  or  two  feet,  to  be  cast  into  everlasting 
fire."  Mat.  XVIII.  8.  "  Depart  from  me  ye  cursed,  into 
everlasting  fire."  xxv.  41.  "  And  these  shall  go  away  in- 
to everlasting  punishment :  but  the  righteous  into  life  eter- 
nal.'' ver.  46.  "  Who  shall  be  punished  with  everlasting 
destruction  from  tlie  presence  of  the  Lord."  II.  Thes.  i. 
9.  "  Arid  hath  given  us  cverlaMing  consolation  and  good 
hope  through  grace."  ii.  16.  "  To  whom  be  honour  and 
power  everlasting.'"  1.  Tim.  vi.  16.  "  Shall  receive  an 
hundredfold,  and  shall  inherit  everlasting  life."  Mat.  xix. 
29.  "  Who  shall  not  receive  manifold  more  in  this  pres- 
ent time,  and  in  the  world  to  come  \\(q  everlasting.''  Luke 
XVIII.  80.  "  That  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not 
perish,  but  have  everlasting  hfe."  John  iii.  16.  "  He  ! 
that  believeth  on  the  son  hath  everlasting  life."  ver.  36.  ■ 
"  But  the  water  that  I  shall  give  him  shall  be  in  hira  a  well 
of  water  springing  up  into  everlasting  life."  iv.  14.  "  He 
that  heareth  my  word  and  believeth  on  him  that  sent  me, 
hath  everlasting  life."  v.  24.  "  But  for  that  meat  which 
endureth  unto  everlasting  life."  vi.  27.  "That  every 
one  which  seeth  the  son  and  believeth  on  him,  may  have  ] 
everlasting   life."     ver.  40.     "  He  that  believeth   on    me  i 


or  UNIVERSALISM  EXAMINED.  253 

hath  everlasting    life."     ver.  47.     "  And  I  know  that  his 
commandment  is  hfe  everlasting.''     xn.  50.     "  But  seeing 
ye  put  it  from  you,  and  judge  yourselves  unworthy  of  ever- 
Uisting  life,  lo,  we    turn  to  the  Gentiles."     Acts  xiii.  46. 
"  Ye  have  your  fruit  unto  hohness,  and  the  end  everlasting 
iife."    Rom.  VI.  22.    "  But  he  that  soweth  to  the  spirit,  shall 
of  the  spirit   reap  life  everlasting.''     Gal.  vi.  8.     "  For  a 
pattern  to  them  which  should  liereafter  believe  on  him  to 
life  everlasting.'"     I.Tim,   i.    16.     "Good  master,  what 
good  thing  shall  I  do,  that  I  may  have  eternal  life  ?"     Mat. 
XIX.  16;  also  Mark  x.   17;  also  Luke  x.  25;  also  xviii. 
18.     "  That  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not  perish 
but  have  eternal  life."     John  in.  15.     "  And  he  that  reap- 
eth  receiveth  wages,  Tind  gathereth  fruit  unto  life  eternal." 
IV.  36.     "  Search  the  Scriptures  :  for  in  them  ye  think  ye 
have  eternal  ViCe.'"     v.  39.     "Whoso  eateth  my  flesh  and 
drinkcth  my  blood,  hath   eternal  life  ;  and  I  will  raise  him 
up  at  the  last   day."     vi.  54.     "To  whom   shall  we  go  ? 
thou  hast  the  words  of  eternal  life."     Ver.  68.     "  And  I 
give  unto  them  eternal  life  ;  and  they  shall  never  perish." 
X.  23.     "  And  he  that  hateth   his  life  in  this  world,  shall 
keep  it  unto  life  eternal."     xii.  25.     "  That  he  should  give 
tiernal  life  to  as  many  as  thou  hast  given  him."     xvii.  2. 
"  And  as  many  as  were  ordained  to  eternal  life  believed." 
Acts  xiii.  48.     "  To  them  who  by  patient  continuance  in 
well  doing  seek  for  glory  and  honour  and  immortality,  eter- 
nal \\f<d."     Rom.  II.  7.     "But  the   gift   of  God  is  eternal 
life,  through  Jesus  Christ  our   Lord."     vi.  23.     "Fight 
the  good  fight  of  faith,  lay  hold  on  eternal  life."     I.  Tim. 
VI.  12.     "  In  hope  oUternal  life."     Tit.  i.  2.     "  That  be- 
ing justified  by  his  grace,  we  should   be  made  heirs  ac- 
cording   to   the   hope    of  eternal  life."     in.    7.      "  And 
show  unto  you,  that  eternal  life  which  was  with  the  Father, 
and   -ifftfe  manifested   unto  us."     I.   John  i.    2.      "  And 
this   is   the    promise,   that   he   hath   promised    us,    even 

eternal  life."      ii.  25.      "  And   this  is   the   record   that 

22 


2.54  ARGUMENTS  AND  PRIKCIPLKS 

God  hath  given  to  us  tttnuil  life;  and   this  hti-  r   ii  i:;^ 

BOB."       V.  11. 

We  have  here  quoted  ahnostall  the  passages  in  the  New 
Tfistament  which  have  the  words  eternal  and  everlasting. 
In  all  these  passages  the  Greek  adjective  aionion  stands  in 
the  Greek  Testament  for  eternal  and  everlasting  in  the  En^- 
hsh.  The  reader  is  requested  to  turn  to  them,  and  read 
them  in  their  connexion  ;  and  then  judge  if  this  word  was 
not  used,  inmost  or  all  of  these  passages,  to  denote  the  end- 
less continuance  of  the  objects  to  which  it  is  apphed. 

Let  him  also  read  them  with  the  universalist  definition  of 
the  word,  age-lasting  in  his  mind,  and  see  if  they  appear  to 
have  been  so  intended.  Thus,  "while  we  look  not  at  the 
things  which  are  seen,  but  at  the  things  which  are  cot  seen  : 
for  the  things  which  are  seen  are  temporal ;  but  the  things 
which  are  not  seen  are  age^lasting  /"  "  We  have  a  building 
of  God,  a  house  not  made  with  hands,  age-lasting  in  the 
heavens  !  :"  "  Good  master,  what  good  thing  shall  1  do 
that  I  may  have  age-lasting  life  ?  ! ! !"  It  may  be  contended 
that  this  aionion  life  was  sometimes  represented  as  some- 
thing the  believers  already  possessed.  This  is  true.  But 
their  having  already  entered  into  the  enjoyment  of  it,  does 
not  disprove  its  endless  duration,  any  more  than  our  having 
entered  into  the  enjoyment  of  God  disproves  his  endless 
existence.  The  disciples  of  Christ  are  represented  in  some 
expressions  as  being  already  the  participants  of  eternal  life 
in  Christ  Jesus  ;  but  so  far  from  limiting  the  duration  of 
that  life,  on  that  account  our  Saviour  expressly  declared  in 
reference  to  the  same  life,  "  this  is  the  bread  which  Com- 
eth down  from  heaven,  that  a  man  may  eat  thereof,  and  not 
die.  I  am  the  living  bread  which  came  down  from  heaven  : 
if  any  man  eat  of  this  bread,  he  shall  live  for  ever."  John 
VI.  50,  51.  This  death,  which  his  disciples  were  not  to 
sufter,  must  be  supposed  the  opposite  of  the  life  they  were 
to  enjoy,  and  which  was  to  continue  for  ever.  Th?.t  is 
spiritual  i',nd  eternal  death,  or  the  second  death.     Wc  ir- 


OF  UJSlVKRSALlbiAl  EXAMINED.  255 

sist  that  this  is  a  fair  construction  of  the  language  ;  and  we 
cannot  sec  how  it  can  admit  any  oWer  construction.  But 
after  all ;  if  it  can  be  proved,  that  all  men  will,  in  some  dis- 
tant future  period,  become  holy  and  happy,  we  shall  prob- 
ably be  there  with  the  rest,  and  we  should  be  very  glad  to 
have  it  so  ;  but  certain  it  is,  that  a  great  change  must  take 
place  in  the  dispositions  of  men,  if  that  should  ever  be 
brought  about.  And  we  feel  pretty  confident,  that  univer- 
sahst  preaching  and  writing  is  never  very  likely  to  accom- 
plisli  it. 

4.  Suppose  the  uuivcrsalisis  of  this  country  were  to  send 
one  of  their  ablest  and  most  learned  and  gifted  preachers, 
as  a  missionary,  to  a  region  of  country  where  the  people 
.\^euerally  believed  in  future  endless  punishment.  lie  goes 
10  teach  universalism  to  that  deluded,  fanatick,  and  crazy 
»)eople.  He  spends  years  in  preaching  and  conversation 
with  them  ;  but  never  in  a  single  instance,  tells  them  of  the 
.s^reat  crrour  of  endless  misery — says  not  a  single  word 
against  the  errour  from  which  he  came  to  reform  them  ! 
Would  not  the  universalists  condemn  him  as  a-lraitor  to 
their  cause  ?  Certainly.  Yet  Jesus  came  from  heaven  to 
such  a  people.  He  came  to  teach  the  truths — the  great 
truths  of  the  gospel  of  God,  to  suppress  the  errours,  cor- 
rect the  sentiments,  and  reform  the  lives  of  mankind.  He 
knew  that  not  only  the  religious  Jev/s,  but  Gentiles  also, 
believed  in  the  endless  perdition  of  the  wicked.  Yet  not  a 
single  word  did  he  ever  say  against  that  errour!  The 
Pharisees  complained  of  many  innovations  which  he  was 
teaching  contrary  to  their  views  ;  but  never  did  they  com- 
plain, that  he  was  a  universalist,  and  denied  the  endless 
punishment  of  the  wicked  !  Had  it  been  so  they  would 
have  made  it  matter  of  serious  complaint  and  crimination. 
^Ve  challenge  the  whole  world  again,  to  show  a  single 
word  which  our  Saviour  uttered  against  the  common  be- 
lief on  this  point.  Now  did  Jesus  forget  his  errand  ?  Did 
he  shrink  from  the  respoqsibility  of  his  mission  ;  and  leave 


25(5  ARGUMENTS  Ai^D  PRINCIPLES 

it  for  the  present,  more  wise,  more  patriotick,  more  tender- 
hearted men  of  the  nii^eenth  centuiy  to  accompHsh  ? 

Again.  Sappose  this  universalist  missionary  should 
speak  often  of  the  righteous  and  ihe  wicked,  and  of  their 
rewards  and  punishments  ;  and  in  so  doing  should  use  the 
same  language  which  they  used,  and  by  which  they  meant 
endless  blessedness  and  endless  misery.  And  suppose  the 
good  people  should  understand  hira  to  mean  by  the  lan- 
guage, exactly  what  they  meant  by  it ;  and  he  should  know 
that  they  so  understood  him.  Would  universahsts  think 
him  an  honest  uuiversalist  missionary  ?  Yet  this  is  ex- 
actly the  course  pursued  by  our  Saviour  on  earth,  as  we 
have  shown.  And  it  cannot  be  denied,  that  the  early  chris- 
tian fathers  all  believed  in  future  retribution;  and  most  al! 
of  them  in  an  unending  state  of  happiness  for  the  good, 
and  of  misery  for  the  bad.  Had  Jesus  corrected  this  er- 
rour  (if  it  were  an  errour)  we  could  not  account  for  it,  that 
his  immediate  followers  should  all  fall  back  into  the  errour, 
who  had  all  his  instructions  before  them ;  and  who  were 
-well  acquainted  with  the  usus  loquendi,  all  the  words  and 
phrases  used  on  tliat  subject  in  the  New  Testament ;  and 
all  this  without  the  least  discussion,  debate  or  schism 
among  them  I 

^Ve  may  put  the  argument  into  the  following  syllogisti- 
cal  form. 

1.  If  Jesus  Christ  were  honest  and  fearless;  and  if  he 
came  to  suppress  the  errour  of  endless  punishment ;  he 
would  have  said  somethin"^  against  the  errour. 

But  he  was  honest  and  fearless ;  but  did  not  say  any 
thing  against  the  errour  of  endless  punishment ;  therefore, 
he  did  not  come  to  suppress  that  errour. 

2.  If  Jesus  Christ  knew  the  doctrine  of  endless  punish- 
ment to  prevail  extensively  in  the  world,  and  did  not  un- 
dertake to  suppress  it ;  he  nuist  have  been  willing  it  should 
prevail. 

15ut  he  did  know  it  prevailed  extensively  in  the  v.orld,  an;! 


OF  UNIVERSALISM  JXAMINED.  257 

did  not  undertake  to  suppress  it ;  therefore,  he  was  willing 
it  should  prevail. 

3.  If  Jesus  Christ  had  not  known  the  doctrine  of  endless 
punishment  was  the  truth,  which  he  knew  prevailed  exten- 
sively in  the  world,  he  would  have  attempted  to  suppress  it. 

But  he  did  not  attempt  to  suppress  it ;  therefore,  he  did 
know  it  was  the  truth. 

4.  If  Jesus  Christ  knew  the  people  used  certain  words 
and  phrases  to  denote  endless  punishment ;  and  he  did  not 
mean  to  teach  endless  punishment ;  he  would  not  have 
used  the  same  words  and  phrases  without  explaining  that 
he  used  them  in  another  sense. 

But  he  did  know  they  used  certain  words  and  phrases  to 
denote  endless  punishment ;  and  he  did  not  explain  that 
lie  used  them  in  any  other  sense ;  therefore,  he  did  mean 
to  teach  endless  punishment. 

5.  If  Jesus  Christ  was  the  son  of  God  he  must  have 
taught  the  truth  ;  and  all  attempts  to  improve  his  doctrine 
ure  a  blasphemous  assumption  of  superiour  wisdom  and 
goodness. 

But  Jesus  Christ  was  the  son  of  God;  therefore,  he 
taught  the  truth,  and  all  attempts  to  improve  his  doctrine, 
are  a  blasphemous  assumption  of  superiour  wisdom  and 
goodness. 

The  same  arguments  will  apply,  in  all  their  force,  in 
the  case  of  the  apostles.  If  the  facts  on  which  this  rea- 
soning is  founded  are  denied,  (which  I  think  will  not  be 
none  from  any  respectable  source,)  we  will  give  incontesti- 
ble  proof  of  them  in  another  work.  For  we  are  very  care- 
ful, not  to  assume  as  facts,  any  thing  of  any  consequence, 
which  is  not  susceptible  of  proof. 

But  as  this  work  is  designed  only  as  a  compendium,  it  is 
not  thought  necessary  to  take  up  room  with  proof  of  facts 
generally  admitted,  and  which  will  not  probably  be  denied. 
Much,  both  of  fact  and  argument  must  be  omitted,  for 
v/ant  of  room  in  this  volume,  whicli  we  consider  only  a  he- 


258  .  AU(iC'AlE»S  AM)  PRl.VCIPJLES 


SECTIONS. 

Several  ciassts  of  Scripture,  irh'tch  indubitably  prove  univeT' 
sal  doctrine  untrue^  considered. 

'•  When  the  Son  of  Mun  sLail  come  in  his  glory  and  all 
the  holy  angels  with  him,  then  shall  he  sit  upon  the  throne 
of  Lis  glory.  And  before  him  shall  be  gathered  all  na- 
tions ;  and  he  shall  separate  them  one  from  another,  as  a 
shepherd  dividetli  his  sheep  from  the  goats  :  and  he  shall 
set  the  sheep  on  his  right  hand,  but  the  goats  on  the  left. 
Then  shall  the  King  say  unto  them  on  his  right  hand,  come 
ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for 
yoii.fromthe  foundation  of  the  world.  For  I  was  an  hun- 
gered and  ye  gave  me  meat :  I  was  thirsiy,  and  ye  gave  me 
drink  :  I  was  a  stranger  and  ye  took  me  in:  naked,  and  ye 
clothed  me  :  I  was  sick  and  yc  visited  me  :  I  was  in  prison 
and  ye  came  unto  me. 

Then  shall  the  righteous  answer  him,  saying,  Lord,  when 
saw  we  thee  an  hungered  and  fed  thee  ?  or  thirsty  and  gave 
thee  drink  ?  When  saw  we  thee  a  stranger  and  took  thee 
in?  or  naked  and  clothed  thee?  Or  when  saw  we  thee 
sick,  or  in  prison,  and  came  unto  thee  ?  And  the  King 
shall  answer  and  say  unto  them,  verily,  I  say  unto  you, 
inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it  unto  one  of  the  least  ol  these 
my  brethren,  ye  have  done  it  unto  me.  Then  shall  he  say 
also  unto  them  on  the  left  hand,  depart  from  me,  ye  cursed, 
into  (aionion)  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and 
his  angels.  For  I  was  an  hungered  and  ye  gave  me  no 
meat :  I  was  thirsty,  and  ye  gave  me  no  drink  :  I  was  a 
stranger,  and  ye  took  me  not  in  :  niiked,  and  ye  clothed 
me  not :  sick,  and  in  prison,  and  ye  visited  me  not.  Thea 
shall  they  also  answer  him,  saying.  Lord,  when  saw  we 
thee  an  hungered,  or  athirst,  or  a  stranger,  or  naked,  or  sick, 
or  in  prison,  and  did  not  minister  unto  thee  ?  Then  shall 
he  answer  them,  saying,  verily,  I  say  uHto  you,  inasmuch, 
as  ye  did  it  not  to  one  of  the  least  of  these,  ye  did  it  not  to 
me.  And  these  shall  go  away  into  (aionion)  everlasting 
punishment :  but  the  righteous  into  (aionion)  eternal  life." 
Mat.  XXV.  31—46. 

Thus  reads  what  is  generally  called  "  the  parable  of  the 
sheep  and  goats." 

That  it  is  a  parable,  or  at  least,  clothed  with  a  kind  of 
parabolical  imaaery,  all  will  agree.     But  as  a  parable,  its 


OF   UMVKRSALIS31  J!:XAMI>ED.  259 

meaning  must  be  something,  and  something  too  clearly 
drawn  from  the  description — something  which  such  lan- 
guage would  be  well  calculated  to  convey  to  the  mind  of  the 
hearers  ;  and  such  hearers  as  were  with  our  Saviour  when  he 
delivered  it.  The  exposition  universalists  put  on  it,  contines 
the  whole  drama  to  this  world  ;  and  makes  it  to  have  been 
fulfdled  nhoutfortij  years  after  it  was  spoken,  in  the  judge- 
ment which  came  ou  the  Jewish  nation,  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem,  and  the  spread  of  the  gospel  among  the  Gen- 
tdes.  They  go  into  the  24th  chapter,  and  contend  that 
the  ''^  coming  of  the  son  of  maii"  there  described,  was  an 
event  to  happen  before  that  generation  passed  away — before 
all  of  them  lasted  of  death,  &c.  And  from  that  chapter 
and  corresponding  passages  in  the  other  evatigelists,  they 
make  it  appear  that  the  '^  coming  of  Christ"  there,  was 
expressive  of  a  season  of  temporal  judgcraeut  on  Judea  and 
Jerusalem,  which  very  exactly  occurred  when  Titus,  the 
son  of  the  Roman  Emperor  besieged  Jerusalem  ;  destroy- 
ed the  city  ;  caused  above  eleven  hundred  thousand  deaths ; 
sold  multitudes  as  slaves  and  laid  waste  the  country. — 
With  regard  to  that  "coming  of  the  son  of  man"  iu  the 
24th  chapter,  we  should  probably  agree,  though  it  is  be- 
lieved that  allusion  is  there  also  made  to  the  last  judge- 
ment. Universalists  contend,  that  the  25th  chapter  begins 
with  particular  reference  to  that  "  coming  of  Christ" 
which  was  in  temporal  judgement  on  the  Jews,  by  the  word 
then  ;  meaning  the  time  he  had  referred  to  in  the  24th  chap- 
ter, which  was  before  that  generation  should  pass  away. — 
Hence,  they  conclude  both  the  24th  and  25th  of  Matthew 
are  a  continued  discourse,  and  refer  to  but  one  principal 
event,  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem. 

1.  It  is  admitted  that  the  "  coming  of  the  son  of  man" 
in  the  24th  of  Matthew,  alluded  to  the  calamities  coming 
on  Judea  ;  but  we  have  no  evidence  that  the  coming  in  the 
25th  is  the  same.  We  know  not  that  the  28d,  24th,  and 
25th  of  Matthew  are  one  continued  discourse.     The  whole 


^60  AliGUM>:NTS  A.ND  PRINCIPLES 

was  written  without  the  division  into  chapters  andTerses  r.s 
It  now  stands  ;  and  it  is  probable  the  25th  chapter  was  deliv- 
ered on  another  occasion,  and  referred  to  another  coming,  of 
whicli  his  hearers  had  some  idea.  There  are  other  com- 
ing.i  of  Christ  spolien  of  in  the  Scriptures,  besides  that 
which  signified  the  Jewish  calamity.  '*  So  that  ye  come 
behind  in  no  gift;  waiting  for  the  coming  of  onr  Lord  Je- 
sus Christ."  I.  Cor.  i.  7.  This  coming  of  Christ  could 
not  have  been  that  of  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  be- 
cause it  is  spoken  of  as  an  important  event  in  which  the 
Corinthians  were  as  much  interested  i\s  any  other  people. 
Were  it  the  destruction  of  the  Jewish  city,  these  Corin- 
thians could  have  had  no  spiritual  or  imf)ortant  interest  in 
the  matter.  "But  every  man  in  his  own  order;  Christ 
the  first  fruits :  afterwards  they  that  are  Christ's  at  his 
coming."  I.  Cor.  xv.  23.  None  will  dispute  that  this 
coming  of  Christ  is  at  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  This 
was  a  coming  of  Christ  in  which  not  only  the  Jews,  but  all 
mon  were  particularly  interested.  Let  it  be  kept  in  mind 
that  the  resurrection  of  the  dead  is  called  *'  the  coming 
of  Christ,"  as  well  as  the  event  of  the  Jewish  calamity. — 
"  For  what  is  our  hope,  or  joy,  or  crown  of  rejoicing  ? 
(are)  not  even  ye  in  the  presence  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
at  his  coming  ?"  I.  Thes.  ii.  39.  The  Word  are  italicised 
above  is  a  supplied  word  ;  and  should  be  supplied  stf  as  to 
put  it  in  the  future  :  thus,  "  will  ye  not  be  in  the  presence 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  at  his  coming  ?"  These  people 
of  Thessalonica  will  be  present  with  our  Lord  at  his  com- 
ing in  the  resurrection  ;  but  they  were  not  present  either 
among  the  Jews  or  the  Roman  armies  at  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem.  "For  this  we  say  unto  you  by  the  word  of 
the  Lord,  that  we  which  are  alive,  and  remain  unto  the 
coming  of  the  Lord,  shall  not  prevent  them  which  are 
asleep.  For  the  Lord  himself  shall  descend  from  heav" 
••vi:h  a  shout,  with  the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and  wit^'  ■'■ 
trump  of  God  :  and  the  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  ^rs 


OF  UNIVERSALISM  PJXAMINED.  2(31 

Thes.  IV.  15,  16.  No  language  can  be  plainer  than  this 
to  teach  not  only  the  coming  of  Christ  at  the  resurrection  ; 
but  that  a  distinction  shall  then  be  made  between  the  friends 
of  Christ  and  his  enemies.  ''  And  I  pray  God,  your  whole 
spirit  and  soul  and  body  be  preserved  blameless  unto  the 
coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  v.  23.  ''Be  patient 
therefore,  brethren,  unto  the  coiuing  of  the  Lord."  James 
V.  7. 

lany  other  passages  might  be  adduced,  but  these  are 
enough  for  our  purpose;  which  is  to  show,  that  the  apos- 
tles expected  the  coming  of  Christ  at  the  resurrecfion  of 
the  dead. 

2.  The  circumstance  of  the  Jewish  calamity,  or  Christ's 
prediction  of  them,  is  recorded  by  two  of  the  other  evan- 
gelists, which  indicates  that  tkey  were  also  present  with 
Matthew,  wherihe  spoke  to  his  disciples  upon  the  Mount 
of  Olives  ;  but  were  not  present  at  some  other  time  when 
Matthew  heard  him  deUver  the  substance  of  the  25tb  chap- 
ter of  his  gospel,  in  which  he  describes  his  last  coming  at 
a  general  judgement.  Had  the  other  evangelists  been  pres- 
ent to  hear  such  a  grand  and  sublime  description,  it  can- 
not be  supposed  they  would  have  omitted  it.  This  is 
strong  preoumptive  evidence  that  these  two  chapters  were 
not  both  delivered  at  the  same  time  ;  and  did  not  both  refer 
to  the  same  event. 

8.  There  was  nothing  in  the  events  of  Jerusalem  and 
the  Roman  armies  to  accord  with  the  language  of  our 
Lord  on  that  occasion.  There  is  no  sense  in  which  "  all 
iiations"  were  gathered  before  him.  The  Jews  were  gath- 
ered together  for  war;  and  a  large  army  of  Romans  be- 
jgpieged  them.  But  this  was  not  the  gathering  together  of 
all  nations.,  Universalists  insist  on  the  word  all  in  the  Bi- 
We  to  mean  not  a  part.  And  in  suoh  an  expression,  no 
sophistry  can  limit  its  meaning  to  a  few  Jews  and  Romans. 
In  what  sense,  were  all  nations  gathered  before  him  at  the 
(kstntcLion  of  Jerusalem  /     They  were  not  all,  nor  n  prin- 


SlJ^  ARGUMENTS  AND  PRINCIPLES 

cipal  part,  engaged  in  the  war.  Neither  was  any  principal 
or  distinguished  judgement,  at  that  time,  executed  upon 
all  the  corrupt  and  wicked  nations,  nor  were  the  good  gen- 
erally admitted  to  any  distinguished  favour,  or  especially 
rewarded  at  that  time.  The  unbelieving  Jews  to  be  sure 
were  conquered  and  sufiered  much  as  a  people  :  but  the 
successful  Romans  were  idolators.  Who  were  the  righte- 
ous so  signally  blessed  at  this  judgement  ?  Why,  the  uni- 
versalists  will  tell  us,  they  were  the  christianized  Jews,  the 
disciples  of  that  nation.  V/ell,  in  what  manner  did  they 
come,  at  that  time,  and  "inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for 
them  ?"  &ZC.  Why,  it  is  said  they  entered  into  the  enjoy- 
ment of  the  gospel  !  Look  again.  The  disciples  of  Christ, 
who  were  ah'eaily  enjoying  the  gospel,  when  the  Romans 
destroyed  their  city,  entered  into  the  enjoyment  of  the  gos- 
pel! ]5ut  it  is  said,  they  were  saved  from  the  calamities 
that  others  suffered,  and  escaped  the  Roman  sword  !  And 
was  this  all  ?  It  cannot  be  proved,  that  the  disciples,  at  that 
time,  received  any  signal  blessing  only  they  escaped  the 
sword.  Again  when  "  all  nations  were  gathered  together 
before  him,"  and  the  King  said  to  them  on  the  left  hand, 
••  depart  from  me  ye  cursed,"  &c.  who  and  what  did  he 
mean  ?  Why  the  wicked  persecuting  Jews.  Well,  let 
tjiese  stand  for  the  wicked  of  a//  nations.  How  did  they 
depart  into  (aionion)  everlasting  fire:  and  go  away  into 
(aionion)  eveil.iating  punishment  ?  Why,  they  were  slain 
by  the  sword  and  by  famine,  and  went  to  the  everlasting 
joys  of  heaven!  Monstrous  absurdity!  Let  us  see  t' 
absurd  thing  once  more,  in  form  of  a  paraphrase.  "  When 
the  Son  of  3iaa  shall  come  in  his  glory  and  all  the  holy 
angels  with  hira,  (when  the  Roman  army  shall  besic 
Jerusalem,)  then  shall  he  sit  upon  the  throne  of  his  glor, 
(invisible  and  unknown  both  to  Jews  and  Romans,)  and  be- 
fore him  shall  be  gathered  all  nations  ;  (the  Jews  a^d  Ro- 
man army  shall  come  together,)  and  he  shall  separate  them 
one  from  aiiother  as  a  shepherd  divideth  bis  gheep  n» 


OF  UMVKRSALISM  EXAMINED.  .263 

the  goats.  (The  believers  shall  be  separated  from  the  rest 
of  the  Jews.)  Then  shall  the  King  say  unto  them  on  his 
right  hand  ;  come  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the 
kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world. 
(Come  ye  blessed  of  my  father,  ye  shall  escape  the  sword 
and  the  famine  now  at  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  ;  and 
ye  shall  live  to  suffer  all  the  horrours  of  persecution — to  be 
sawn  asunder,  imprisoned,  and  burned  to  death,  by  the  Ro- 
man Emperors,  after  they  get  through  punishing  the  Jews, 
and  sending  them  to  glory  !)  For  I  was  an  hungered  and 
ye  gave  me  meat,  &c.  (For  ypu  christianized  Jews  did 
this  to  one  another.)  Then  shall  he  say  also  unto  them 
on  the  left  hand,  depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlast- 
ing fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels.  (Depart 
from  your  country  and  lives,  ye  cursed,  unbelieving  Jews, 
into  death  and  immediate  everlasting  happiness  in  the  king- 
dom of  glory,  prepared  for  the  Jewish  nation,  the  enemy 
of  Christ,  and  the  high  priests,  and  Judas,  and  all  his  ad- 
versaries !)  And  these  shall  go  away  into  everlasting  pun- 
ishment; but  the  righteous  into  life  eternal.  (And  these 
shall  most  of  them  die,  which  all  must  do  soon,  and  go 
away  into  age-lasting  punishment,  a  state  of  immortality 
and  bliss ;  but  the  righteous  into  life  age-lasting,  the  enjoy- 
ment of  the  gospel  of  Christ,  by  which  they  shall  be  per- 
secuted from  city  to  city,  bleeding  under  the  lacerating 
scourge,  during  life,  and  at  last  they  shall  come  to  the 
same  place,)  or  if  that  wdl  not  do,  say,  (these  shall  die 
and  go  to  heaven,  and  a  remnant  of  them  shall  be  scattered 
-r.broad  in  the  earth  ;  and  their  posterity  shall  not  come  to 
a  knowledge  of  the  gospel  for  many  ages  ;  but  the  disciples 
shall  continue  to  enjoy  the  gospel  which  they  have  enjoy- 
ed before.) 

The  exposition  which  universalists  give  this  parable  is 
no  better  than  the  above,  though  they  may  clothe  it  up- 
with  a  little  better  gloss.  If  this  is  believing  any  thing 
more  than  its  varnished   sense,   we  will  admit  the  author 


2G4  ARGUMENTS  AND  PRINCIPLES 

must  be  mistaken.  Christ's  hearers  never  had  acumen 
enough  to  so  understand  him.  Neither  had  anybody  in- 
genuity enough  to  understand  him  so,  till  ihe  dazzhng  flood 
of*  hght  recently  poured  upon  the  Scriptures  by  universal- 
ists.  Indeed,  the  light  is  so  piercing  and  dazzling  that 
none  can  gaze  on  it  with  any  satisfaction  without  first  veil- 
ing their  faces  ! 

Does  not  this  construction  make  our  Saviour  a  fabul- 
ous narrator  of  nonsense  ?  But  let  his  words  mean  what 
they  unequivocally  declare  ;  and  the  description  is  power- 
ful and  full  of  meaning.  The  promised  award  to  the  righ- 
teous stands  in  the  46th  verse  of  this  noted  passage,  in  ex- 
act contrast  with  the  punishment  ^f  the  wicked.  The  one 
is  aionion  life,  and  the  other  aionion  punishment.  That 
the  aioiuonUfe  is  expressive  of  the  everlasting  happiness  of 
heaven  generally  in  the  Bible,  cannot  be  disputed.  We 
have  seen  it  was  used,  as  the  most  common  and  familiar 
phrase,  to  denotfe  the  glorious  hope,  the  heavenly  inher- 
itance of  the  disciples.  We  have  seen  too,  that  the  ad- 
jective which  qualifies  its  duration,  was  the  very  same, 
which  was  usually  employed  to  denote  endless  duration — 
that  uo  other  word  at  the  time  was  so  generally  employed 
in  that  sense — that  no  other  word,  in  use,  was  so  proper, 
either  from  its  root  and  derivation  or  its  familiarity  and 
well  known  apphcation,  to  denote  the  everlasting  duration 
of  a  thing,  as  that  very  word.  Over  against  this  everlast- 
ing happiness,  thus  expressed  in  language  usually  employ- 
ed to  denote  the  deathless  felicity  of  the  righteous,  there 
stands  on  the  other  parallel  side  of  the  antithesis,  a  des- 
cription of  punishment.  Look  at  it.  It  is  aiom'on  punish- 
ment, and  aionion  life.  No  stronger  ivord  in  the  Bible  is 
applied  to  the  duration  of  heaven,  of  God,  of  angels,  or  any 
other  thing,  than  is  here  applied  to  the  bliss  of  heaven,  and 
the  misery  of  the  wicked.  Universalists  will  dispute  this,  of 
course  ;  for  it  perfectly  upsets  their  theory  ;  and  of  course, 
must  be  disposed  of.     But  the  learned  criticks  of  past  ages 


OF  UNIVERSA1.ISM  EXAMINED.  265 

will  sustain  this  proposition,;  and  every  learned  man,  who 
will  examine  the  subject  for  himself  will  know  it  is  true.     If 
any  thing,  as  vague  and  imperfect  as  words,  can  prove  the 
endless  misery  of  a  portion  of  the  liuman  race,  then  it  is 
proved  abundantly  ;  and  in  the  strongest  possible  manner. 
4.  It  will  be  objected,  that  Jesussaid  nothing  here  about 
the  resurrection  of  the  dead;  and   if  he  had  meant  to  de- 
scribe future  judgement  he  would  have  noticed  that.     An- 
swer.    The  people  well   understood,  that   such  a  judgo- 
ment  as  he  there  describes  must  beat  the  resurrection,  as 
matter  of  course.     He  had  frequently  told  them  of  a  judge- 
ment at  the  resurrection.     For  instance  thus,  "Marvel  not 
at  this,  for  the  hour  is  coming,  in  the  which  all  that  are  in 
the  graves  shall  hear  his  voice,  and  shall  come  forth,  they 
that  have  done  good  unto  the  resurrection  of  life,  and  they 
that  have  done  evil  to  the   resurrection  of  damnation." — 
John  v:  28,  29.     Read  again,  "It  is  appointed  unto  men 
once  to  die,  but  after  this  the  judgement."     Much  inge- 
nuity has  been  exerted  to  make  this  text  mean,  that  the 
judgement  does  not  come  after  death.     But  their  explana- 
tions have  no  weight  against  the  plain  declaration  of  truth. 
They  have  never  invented  an  explanation  of  the  text,  that 
had  any  plausibility  in  it.     Read  again,  "Because  he  hath 
appointed  a  day  in  the   which  he  will  judge  the  world  in 
righteousness."     Read,  "  And  he  commanded  us  to  preach 
nnto  the  people  and  to  testify  that  it  is  he  which  was  ordained 
of  God  to  be  the  judge  of  quick  (the  living)  and  dead." — 
Was  he  ordained  to  be  the  judge  of  the  dead  as  well  as  the 
living,  yet  were  all  the  dead  judged  and  rewarded  and  pun- 
ished before  they  died  ?     Hear  Paul  to  Timothy,  "  I  charge 
thee,  therefore,   before   God  and  the  I^ord  Jesus  Christ, 
who  will  judge  the  quick  (living)  and  the  dead  at  his  ap- 
pearing and  his  kingdom."     Did  Paul  here  mean  to  teach 
Timothy,  that  the  apj^eartng  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in 
judgement,  would  be  at  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem;  and 

that  he  would  then  judge  both  the  living  and  the  dead ;  and 

23 


866  AROUMKNTS  AWD  PRINCIPLES 

that  all  men  are  judged  before  they  die  too?  It  seems  as 
if  universalists  themselves,  would  acknowledge  that  we 
might  have  quoted,  at  le?ist,  one  passage  of  scripture,  iu 
the  Renunciation,  hitd  we  been  very  anxious  to  do  so. 

Read,  "  To  the  end  he  may  establish  your  hearts  unbla- 
mable in  holiness  before  God,  even  our  Father,  at  the  com- 
ing of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  with  all  his  saints." — 1  Thes. 
in:  13.  Why  should  the  Thesaslonians  be  exlrorted  to 
be  established  in  holiness,  and  prepared  for  the  coming  of 
Christ  at  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem?  This  was  an  event 
in  which  they  had  no  more  interest  than  we  Americans  had 
in  the  great  battle  of  Waterloo.  In  what  sense  did  Christ 
come  at  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  with  all  his  saints? — 
"For  if  we  believe  that  Jesus  died  and  rose  again,  even  so 
them  also  which  sleep  in  Jesus  will  God  bring  with  him.*' 
—IThes.  IV :  14. 

We  will  now  present  a  passage  from  2  Thes.  1  chapters 
to  which  we  have  once  referred  but  with  design  to  bring  it 
forward  again  iu  this  connexion,  as  it  deserves  the  particu- 
lar attention  of  the  reader. 

"So  that  we  ourselves  glory  in  you  in  the  churches  of 
God,  for  your  patience  and  faith  in  all  your  persecutions 
and  tribulations  that  ye  endure  :  which  is  a  manifest  token 
of  the  righteous  j^idgement  of  God,  that  ye  may  be  counted 
worthy  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  for  u'hich  ye  also  suffer : 
seeing  it  is  a  righteous  thing  with  God  to  recompense  tribula- 
tion to  them  that  trouble  you  :  And  to  you  vi^ho  are  troub- 
led, rest  with  us;  when  the  Lord  Jesus  shall  be  revealed 
from  heaven  v/ith  his  mighty  angels,  in  flaming  fire,  taking 
vengeance  on  them  that  know  not  God,  and  that  obey  not 
the  gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ :  who  shall  be  punish- 
ed with  (aionion)  everlasting  destruction  from  the  presence 
of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of  his  power." 

On  this  we  renaark,  1.  Paul  was  addressing  christians, 
who,  notwithstanding  all  their  fidelity  to  their  Lord,  were 
suffering  the  extreraest  afflictions  and  trials.  That  they  so 
suffered  that  they  might  be  accounted  worthy  of  the  heav- 
enly inheritance  which  they  anticipated.  Of  course  they 
were  not  rewarded  in  this  life  for  their  piety,  but  suffered 
by  it.     See  verses  4,  5. 


OF  UNlVEaSAilBM  EXAMINED.  267 

2.  That  a  judgement  wns  In  reserve  for  those  who  perse- 
cuted the  christians,  and  that  judgement  was  then  future; 
so  that  sin  itself  does  not  always  punish  itseh',  nor  does  con- 
science; for  they  were  looidng  forward  to  a  future  time 
for  it. 

3.  This  was  not  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem;  for,  as  we 
have  repeatedly  stated,  they  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  war 
which  was  to  rage  between  the  Romans  and  Jews.  Sup- 
pose that  one  of  the  people  at  Thessalonica  had  written  a 
letter  to  the  venerable  apostle  to  know  what  he  meant  by 
the  "coming  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  inflaming  fire,  who  should 
punish  the  ungodly  with  everlasting  destruction  from  the 
presence  of  the  Lord  and  the  glory  of  his  power"?  The 
apostle  should  write  to  him  in  answer,  that  he  was  only  in- 
dulging in  bombast,  at  that  time  ;  and  simply  meant  noth- 
ing more  than  this:  you  know  the  Romans  are  a  powerful 
people,  and  the  Jews  by  and  by  will  provoke  them  to  war; 
which  will  terminate  in  the  destruction  of  their  own  city, 
the  loss  of  many  lives,  the  end  of  their  government,  and 
the  dispersion  of  their  people  !! !  Comment  is  unneces 
sary. 

4.  We  add  here  that  the  apostles  to  the  Gentiles  have 
never  said  any  thing  about  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  of 
which  Christ  spoke  to  the  Jews,  because  it  was  matter  of 
no  special  concern  to  them;  although,  as  we  have  seen, 
they  frequently  allude  to  the  final  comingof  Christ  to  judge- 
ment at  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  which  places  our 
Lord's  meaning  in  the  25th  of  Matthew  beyond  all  dispute. 
There,  as  well  as  in  this  passage  to  the  Thessalonians,  an 
awful  sentence  of  condemnation  against  the  wicked  is  plain- 
ly taught. — Nay,  that  it  will  be  a  sentence  to  evtrlasting . 
perdition  and  misery  is  the  express  and  unequivocal  lan- 
guage of  Christ  and  his  apostle.  There  is  no  evading  this 
truth.  If  universalists  will  not  have  it  so,  it  is  because  they 
ioill  not;  and  the  whole  debate  is  evidently  between  them, 
and  Jesus  ChrJsj  apd  the  apostles.     Yet  there  are  faces  so 


26d  arodmewts  and  pbikciples 

incapable  c{  a  blush,  as  to  say  before  a  christian  communi- 
ty, that  the  ouly  reason  a  man  did  not  quote  a  single  pass- 
age of  Scripture  against  universalism,  was  because  he  could 
not;  that  be  would  gladly  have  brought  it  forward  ifh& 
could,  &-C. !  If  men  are  determined  not  to  allow  the  Scrip- 
tures to  mean  what  they  unequirocally  declare,  how  can 
we  expect  to  bring  a  i^assage  to  confute  them  ?  Let  the 
Bible  speak  for  itseiCm  Us  oyfnisnvarnishcd  unsophisticated 
truth;  and  it  speaks  confusion  to  universalism,  and  terrour 
and  dismay  to  many  of  its  votaries.  But  to  suppose  the 
Bible  will  confute  them,  after  they  have  frittered  away  all 
its  solemn  declarations,  which  do  not  suit  thera,  none  has 
the  folly  to  presume.  Let  a  thousand  men  be  liberally  ed- 
ucated in  a  foreign  land,  where  they  should  be  strangers  t» 
the  Bible.  Then  let  each  of  them  receive  a  copy,  with  a 
request  that  they  should  exj>raine  it  with  the  utmost  care, 
and  compare  it  with  the  original;  and  then  tell  whether  it 
teaches  a  future  judgement  of  mankind,  and  the  endless 
perdition  of  the  wicked  ;  or  that  all  men  are  rewarded  in 
this  life  justly  and  fully,  and  all  happy  tlie  next  moment  of 
conscious  existence  after  death.  Let  them  have  no  creed 
to  support;  no  party  to  please:  no  interests  at  stake ;  no 
prejudices  to  v.-arp  the  judgement ;  and  every  one  of  the 
thousand  would  decide,  that  it  teaches  future  eternal  retri- 
bution. Indeed,  the  doctrine  is  no  where  taught  as  a  nev/ 
doctrine,  or  as  a  disputed  doctrine:  for  it  was  generally  be- 
lieved throughout  the  world;  and  none  denied  k  in  that 
day  who  admitted  a  future  existence.  But  it  \>as  taught 
generally,  distinctly,  clearly,  and  amply  throughout  the 
New  Testament,  as  an  undeniable  truth.  Indeed,  as  plain- 
ly as  any  body  has  ever  taught  it  since;  making  allowance 
for  the  difference  of  style  between  the  aneients  and  mod- 
ernn,  we  are  of  opinion  that  the  excess  of  future  misery 
has  been  exaggerated  by  modern  writers  beyond  what  tl:  ■ 
Bible  intended;  but  as  to  its  existence  there  has  been  r 
difference. 


or  U.NlVERSAiISM  EXAMINED.  269 

5.  It  may  be  urged  in  favour  of  the  univeraalist  exposition 
of  the  25th  of  Matthew,  that  the  spread  of  the  Gospel 
among  the  Gentiles  and  their  induction  into  the  gospel 
faith,  is  what  is  meant  by  the  "  blessed  coming  to  inherit 
the  kingdom,"  &c.  and  their  coming  into  hfe  eternal;  but 
this  did  not  take 'place  in  any  special  sense,  at  the  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem.  Peter  saw  the  vision  of  the  sheet  let 
down  from  heaven  long  before  that  event;  and  learned  that 
"in  ev-^ry  nation  he  that  feareth  God  and  worketh  right- 
eousness is  accepted  of  him."  Long  before  that  event  the 
apostle  turned  to  the  Gentiles,  saying  to  the  Jews,  "  since 
ye  count  yourselves  unworthy  of  everlasting  life,  lo,  we 
turn  to  the  Gentiles."  Long  before  this  event,  the  Spirit  of 
the  Lord  was  ])oured  out  upon  the  christians  of  all  coun- 
tries, on  the  day  of  Pentecost;  and  before  this,  the  Gospel 
was  preached  by  the  faithful  apostles  in  Persia,  Greece, 
Egypt,  and  the  northern  parts  of  Africa,  in  Rome,  and 
Spain,  and  throughout  the  known  world.  Christians  had 
multiplied  every  where;  and  the  moral  kingdom  of  our 
Lord  was  fully  established  in  the  earth,  long  before  the 
Jewish  and  Roman  war,  as  much  as  it  was  at  that  time. — 
And  there  was  nothing  in  that  event  that  could  justify  the 
description  of  the  25th  of  Matthew. 

II.  "And  whosoever  speaketh  a  word  against  the  Son  of 
maa,  it  shall  be  forgiven  him;  but  whosoever  speaketh 
against  the  Holy  Ghost,  it  shall  not  be  forgiven  him,  neither 
in  this  world,  neither  in  the  world  to  come." — Mat.  xii :  32. 

On  this  passage  universalists  tell  us  the  Greek  word, 
here  rendered  world,  is  aion  which  means  an  age  or  pe- 
riodical dispensation  of  divine  providence.  We  have  shown 
in  a  former  section,  that  this  is  the  sixth  definition  given 
the  word  in  Parkhurst's  Lexicon — that  it  is  sometimes  used 
in  that  sense,  though  not  often.  That  it  more  frequently 
signifies  a  state  of  being  is  evident;  and  it  is  perfectly  cer- 
tain, that  it  signifies  the  whole  of  the  state  of  being  for 
which  it  it  used.     It  is  the  word   always  used   in  the  New 

Testament,  as  we  believe,  for /t/e  time,  when  thie  present 

23* 


270  ARGU>IK?»T*  AUD  PRKtCIPLLS 

life  time  i.3  compared  with  the  next.  Wherever  the  inspi- 
red writers  speak  of  thishfe,  meaning  this  present  state  of 
^  existence,  and  of  the  life  to  come,  meaning  the  future 
state  of  existence,  they  call  it  this  aioiiand  the  ami  to  come. 
And  we  declare  without  fear  of  contradiction,  that  aion  is 
th«  most  proper  word,  in  the  Greek  language,  to  express 
this  present  state  of  being  and  the  next.  So  that  the  plain 
sense  of  our  Saviour  was  evidently  this,  "Whosoever  shall 
speak  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  shall  not  be  forgiven,  neith- 
er in  this  state  of  being  nor  in  that  state  of  being  which  is 
to  come."  But  allowing  the  definition  which  nniversalists 
insist  upon  to  be  correct,  "they  shall  not  be  forgiven,  neith- 
er under  the  dispensation  of  the  law,  nor  the  dispensation 
of  the  gospel,"  we  would  ask  them  ichen  they  will  be  for- 
given ?  We  cannot  see  that  their  quibble  about  aion  does 
them  any  good  after  all.  The  reader  is  requested  to  keep 
in  mind  the  definition  which  universalists  give  to  the  word 
forgivenesses  used  in  the  Bible.  They  say  "it  does  not 
signify,  a  release  from  any  deserved  punishment,  but  a  de- 
liverance from  sin."  Now  let  them  have  their  own  defini- 
tion of  both  aion  and  forgiveness.  Then  our  text  would 
read  thus:  "Whosoever  shall  speak  against  the  Holy 
Ghost,  shall  not  be  delivered  from  sin,  neither  under  the 
dispensation  of  the  law,  nor  in  the  dispensation  of  the  gos- 
pel."! 

W'e  might  ask  in  what  dispensation  they  are  to  be  deliv- 
ered from  sin?  Certainly  the  Bible  knows  of  no  dispensa- 
tions, in  which  revolutions  and  changes  take  place,  after 
the  dispensation  of  the  Gospel.  It  mast  be  under  the 
neiv  dispensation  of  universalism  or  mormonism,  unknown 
in  the  days  of  Christ,  that  such  sinners  are  to  be  delivered 
from  their  sins!  We  always  considered  this  one  of  the 
hardest  among  the  many  hard  passages  that  universalists 
Jaad  to  contend  with. 

2.  But  the  correspondingfpassages  will  reflect  light  upon 
this  text.     "But  he^that  shall  blaspheme  against  the  H( 


? 


OF  U.f  iVKHSALlSSM  KXAMIISKI).  271 

Ghost  hath  nerer  forgiveness ;  but  is  in  danger  o«f  aioni- 
on eternal  damnation." — Mark  in:  29.  "And  whosoever 
shall  speak  a  word  against  the  Son  of  man,  it  shall  be  for- 
given him :  but  unto  him  that  blasphemeth  against  the 
Htly  Ghost,  it  shall  not  be  forgiven."-— Luke  xii :  10. 

According  to  these  passages,  it  is  immaterial  whether 
aion,  in  Matt,  signifies  this  life  or,  dispensatioii ;  for  such 
are  never  to  be  forgiven-— they  are  not  to  be  forgiven.  If 
the  universalian  definition  o( forgiveness  be  correct,  they 
are  never  to  be  delivered  from  their  sins  I  Nay,  they  are  in 
danger  of  (aionion)  everlastirjg  damnation  !  It  will  not  be 
supposed  our  Saviour  was  talking  about  the  danger  of  that, 
which  had  no  existence,  except  in  the  brains  of  enthusiasts 
and  fanaticks. 

By  a  comparison  of  these  passages,  we  are  satisfied,  that 
our  Saviour  meant,  on  that  occasion,  when  he  was  accused 
of  casting  out  devils  by  demoniacal  agency,  that  such  per- 
sons as  would  deny  his  miracles  thus  openly  performed  be- 
fore their  eyes,  and  impute  them  to  the  devil,  were  wilful- 
ly and  obstinately  disposed  to  resist  the  best  evidences  of 
the  truth;  and,  therefore,  would  not  be  likely  to  repent  or 
reform;  but  would  persevere  in  their  perverseness;  and 
were  on  that  account  in  great  danger  of  being,  at  last,  cast 
into  gehenna,  and  eternally  condemned. 

3.  Such  is  the  language  of  divine  inspiration — the  dec- 
larations of  Christ.  If  they  are  not  true,  they  will  nevef 
injure  us;  but  if  they  are  true,  we  have  an  interest  in  them, 
Avith  which  no  earthly  object  can  compart.  We  shall  soon 
pass  from  this  world  of  contention  and  strife.  But  if  we 
find  in  the  end,  that  the  good,  the  humble,  the  practical 
christian  only  is  to  be  admitted  into  the  everlasting  joys  of 
the  heavenly  world;  and  the  corrupt,  abandoned,  and  un- 
principled, are  positively  and  absolutely  to  be  separated 
from  the  favour  of  God,  from  all  good  society,  from  all  the 
pleasures  of  a  good  conscience,  and  from  all  blissful  sensa- 
tiojas  and  anticipations — to  live  irf  darkness,  perdition,  and 


272  ARGUMENTS  Ai?*D  rRl>CIPLE« 

despair,  ii  is  nwitter  of  the  highest  croasideratiou,  ibat  we 
attend  to  ii  while  the  vital  spark  continues  to  burn.  If  on 
this  subject,  our  decision  should  be  wrong,  when  death 
closes  the  scene,  and  winds  up  our  earthly  interests;  and 
ue  have  formed  no  habits  of  virtue,  no  feelings  of  piety,  no 
reverence  and  filial  devotion  towards  the  invisible  and  Al- 
mighty Disposer  of  events;  and  we  should  find  ourselves 
arraigned  before  the  tribunal  of  an  omnipotent  Judge:  and 
should  there  meet  with  scenes  properly  corresponding  with 
those  so  frequently  described  in  the  Scriptures;  it  would 
then  be  too  late  to  alter  our  plan — too  late  to  correct  the 
fatal  errour — too  late  to  retrieve  neglected  opportunities — 
too  late  to  recall  slighted  invitations,  and  rejected  mercies 
— too  late  to  heal  the  injuries  inflicted  upon  a  fellow  being 
—or  to  dry  the  tears  of  the  oppressed — or  to  wash  away 
tlie  blood  that  has  crimsoned  the  pathway  of  sin  I 

We  have  in  this  section  brought  into  view  a  number  of 
solemn  declarations  of  Jesus  and  the  apostles.  That  they 
were  designed  to  teach  the  doctrine  of  future  judgement 
and  eternal  retribution,  we  have  not  a  single  doubt.  If  the 
consideration  of  them  shall  terrify  the  wicked  to  pause 
in  their  career,  we  shall  be  willing  to  suffer  all  the  "con- 
tempt" that  shall  be  poured  out  upon  us  as  the  price  of 
our  "temerity."  We  frankly  acknowledge  that  we  would 
frighten  the  guilty  iftiiey  cannot  be  shamed  out  of  their 
course.  "  Knowing  the  terrours  of  the  Lord,  we  persuade 
men."  If  any  tipler  shall  be  haunted  with  trembling  fear, 
till  he  dash  the  poisoned  cup  from  his  lips:  If  any  young 
man,  charmed  by  the  deceptive  allurements  of  crime,  shall 
shrink  from  the  contemplated  adventure:  If  any  hand  up- 
lifted for  fatal  purpose  shall  fall  harmless  before  the  majesty 
of  truth:  If  any  villain  shall  be  constrained  to  spare  his 
victim:  If  the  tears  of  the  injured  and  the  suffering  shall 
in  any  degree  be  prevented :  If  the  awful  dread  of  future 
wo  shall  bring  trembling  and  dismay  into  the  ranks  of  the 
gambling,  profane,  and  licentious;  and  if  virtue  and  practi- 


OF  UNIVERSALISM  EXAMINED.  27;$ 

cal  piety  shall  be  promoted,  we  shall  be  richly  paid;  anit 
shall  sweetly  taste  the  delicious  remuneration;  though  it 
might  bring  around  us  all  the  malice  of  the  nether  world; 
and  all  its  blackening  stomas  should  pour  their  uuiniugled 
vengeance  upon  our  head. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Religion  and  Revelation  vindicated,  against  Skbp- 
TicisM  AND  Infidelity. 

I.  On  the  existence  of  God. — That  revelation  and  religion 
depend  on  the  question,  whether  there  is  a  God,  will  not  be 
denied.  Although  it  is  commonly  supposed  that  there  are 
few  or  no  atheists  in  the  world  ;  and  nothing  is  more  un- 
popular than  atheism  ;  yet  we  are  inclined  to  think  that  un- 
t)elievers  in  revealed  religion  are  generally  atheist#.  There 
are  many  strange  things  to  be  sure  in  revealed  religion  ; 
but  what  else  could  be  expected  from  a  special  revelation  ? 
Hits  truths  were  not  extraordinary  and  strange  to  us — if 
I  hey  were  nothing  more  than  what  was  manifest  in  nature, 
then  no  special  revelation  would  be  necessary  to  make  them 
known  to  us.  While,  therefore,  we  say,  that  no  divine  re- 
velation can  contradict  itself,  we  say  that  the  strange  and  to 
us  incredible  things  declared  in  Scripture  is  no  argument 
•agjiinsts  its  being  indeed  a  divine  revelation,  but  rather  an 
argument  in  favour  of  such  fact.  If  we  begin  with  athe- 
ism, and  Jsay  there  is  no  God,  then  supernatural  events 
would,  upon  this  hypothesis,  be  impossible,  and  so  would 
any  special  ^revelation  be  impossible.  Nay,  organization, 
intellect,  and  every  thing  would  be  impossible.  But  begin 
with  Theism — admit  there  is  a  God,  and  ail  things  are 
equally  possible,  except  they  involve  a  contradiction. 
'  We  know  that  we  exist,  and  are  satisfied  that  the  world 
around  us  exists.  Therefore  one  of  these  things  must  be 
true:  1.  Either  the  world  with  all  its  species  and  varieties 
c)f  being  has  existed  from  eternity;  or  2,  that  it  produced 
itself;  or  3,  that  it  was  produced  by  chance  ;  or  4,  that  an 
uncreated  almighty  and  intelligent  Being  created  it.  One 
ol'  these  positions  must  be  true. 

J .  Is  it  true,  that  the  univct'se  has  existed  from  oteinity  ? 


RELIGION    VINDICATED.  275 

If  SO,  every  part  of  it  must  have  existed  so  long  ;  for  If  any 
species  or  variety  of  being  has  been  created  and  did  not 
eternally  exist,  then  the  whole  might  have  been  created  as 
easy.  Therefore,  human  beings  musthave  always  existed. 
Of  course  there  must  have  been  an  infinite  number  of  hu- 
man beings  before  this  time,  and  all  that  shall  exist  here- 
after will  be  so  many  more  than  an  infinite  number.  Nay, 
one  thousand  years  ago,  there  must  have  been  then  an  in- 
finite number  of  human  beings,  and  all  that  have  existed 
since  are  so  many  added  to  infinity  !  Nay,  from  all  eternity 
there  must  always  have  been  a  preceding  infinite  number, 
which  infinite  number  must  have  been  constantly  increas- 
ing from  all  eternity  !  Again,  each  human  being  has  two 
eyes,  consequently  there  must  have  been  twice  as  many  in- 
finite numbers  of  eyes  as  beings  !  The  same  might  be  said 
of  all  other  things.  There  is  almost  an  infinite  number  of 
infinities  added  to  each  other,  which  amounts  to  the  same 
number  of  absurdities  and  impossibilities.  So  that  the 
theory  of  the  eternal  existence  of  the  world,  stands  upon 
nothing  better  than  an  infinite  number  of  impossibilities! 

2.  Has  the  world  produced  itself  ?  If  so  it  must  have 
acted  before  it  existed,  which  is  absolutely  impossible, 
therefore  it  did  not  produce  itself. 

3.  Did  chance  produce  the  world  ?  No  ;  for  chance  does 
not  exist  itself:  or  we  use  the  term  to  denote  the  occur- 
rence of  an  event,  which  had  no  visible  connexion  with  its 
cause ;  but  yet  we  all  understand  that  such  things  as  are 
said  to  happen  by  chance,  have  all  a  sufficient  cause  as 
much  as  any  thing  else.  All  apparent  chance  is  direction: 
Therefore  chance  never  produced  any  thing,  and  of  course 
never  produced  the  universe. 

4.  Hence  it  follows,  that  an  uncreated,  unchanging, 
self-exlsteot,  eternal  Being,  of  sufficient  power  and  wisdom 
created  the  world. 

2.  Slenof  all  ages  and  nations  believe  in  a  God,  and  wor- 
fihip  him  in  some  form  or  other.     Most  of  their  modes  of 


2/0  RBLIGIOrf  ViriDlCATBD. 

worship  and  religious  views  hare  been  extravagant  and  per- 
nicious, when  ignorant  and  unenhghtened ;  but  Btill  the 
universal  propensity  of  mankind  to  acknowledge  a  God — its 
prevalence  in  every  age,  in  every  nation — under  all  the  di- 
vi^rsities  of  education,  habit,  and  custom,  through  all  the 
intermediate  steps  from  savage  to  civilized  life,  is  an  argu- 
ment that  a  God  exists.  If  there  is  no  God  but  nature,  as 
atheism  teaches,  she  has  been  recreant  to  her  own  honour, 
in  inspiring  her  children  with  a  universal  propensity  to  look 
above  her,  and  honour  an  eternal  Divinity  as  her  creator. 
Whence  comes  this  universal  feeling — this  grateful  offering 
of  nature?  It  comes  from  God  ;  suppress  the  conviction 
as  we  will,  it  is  the  indellible  impress  of  the  Deity  upon  na- 
ture. Again,  it  is  natural  for  man  to  prescribe  for  himself 
a  rule  of  action  which  he  supposes  to  be  right.  When  he 
violates  this  rule  he  feels  condemned  ;  although  no  human 
•eye  sees  it,  he  feels  conscious  of  the  presence  of  the  invisi- 
ble j\idge.  So  that  man's  conscience  will  either  accuse  or 
excuse  him.  It  is  then  natural  for  man  to  believe  in  a  De- 
ity :  nay,  it  is  natural  for  him  to  fear  the  retributions  of  his 
justice.  Why  do  we  say  that  any  thing  is  true?  Why 
say  that  ten  is  more  than  one,  or  that  a  thing  cannot  be 
and  not  be  at  the  same  time  ?  The  reason  is,  because  our 
minds  are  so  constituted  as  to  make  such  judgements  nat- 
ural. And  it  is  also  as  natural  for  men  to  believe  in  a  De- 
ity, and  just  as  certain  that  God  exists,  as  that  any  thing 
exists.  We  may  try  to  shake  of  the  belief,  for  the  sake  of 
having  a  chance  to  do  some  things  unseen,  yet  it  is  as  much 
impossible  to  bring  mankind  generally  to  be~atheisl9  and 
to  continue  so  from  age  to  age,  as  it  would  be  to  bring  them 
to  disregard  their  senses.  Philosophers  indeed  there  have 
been,  who  attempted  to  prove  that  we  had  no  evidence  of 
the  divine  existence.  By  the  same  reasons  they  have  prov- 
ed, that  as  there  was  no  God  to  make  a  world,  there  is  no 
world — that  we  ourselves  do  not  exist  in  reality  !  That  all 
our  notions  about  existence,  about  the  world,  and  about 


RELXOiON    VIIVDIUATF.D.  2/ t 

Ood,  (if  we  had  any  such  notions)  would  be  only  phantom^- 
of  iraagination  !  (if  we  had  any  imagination  ]) 

3.  But  when  the  universe  is  once  in  being,  waving  the 
inanner  in  which  it  came  into  being,  it  constantly  -assuraes 
new  niodifiications  aod  changes,  which  plainly  and  irrcfragi- 
bly  prove  llie  combination  of  power  and  intelligence  in  their 
production.  If  design  proves  a  designer,  and  contrivance 
prores  a  contriver,  then  we  have  proof  enough  in  every  thing 
we  see  arout^d  us.  Look  once  at  the  ])iT.duction  of  an  indi- 
vidual man.  He  is  formed  of  parts,  each  part  has  an  office, 
and  is  ife.srg-ziefZfor  a  sj)ecirick  purpose,  and  is  so  contrive dxlveX 
it-wili  answer  that  end  or  purpose.  His  legs,  for  instance, 
are  evidently  designed  for  standing  and  walking.  They  are 
constructed  and  shaped  throughout,  with  all  the  requisite 
joints,  tendons,  muscles,  &c.  forsuchause.  Now  since  they 
are  formed  a  long  time  previous  to  use,  is  it  not  evident  that 
there  was  thought  and  intelligence  that  looked  forward  to 
their  subsequent  use,  and  contrived  and  designed  each  part, 
so  that  it  should  be  adapted  to  the  end  in  view  ?  Was  not 
the  tongue  (which  is  sometimes  made  an  unruly  merabei;) 
designed  and  contrived  and  adapted  to  its  various  uses? 
Was  not  the  ear  designed  and  contrived  for  hearing  ?  And 
did  unthinking  nature  which  could  not  hear  contrive  it  ? 
The  eye  is  the  most  astonishing  and  unfathomable  deep  of 
wonders.  It  would  require  a  volume  to  explain  it  but  parti- 
ally. It  is  formed  according  to  certain  known  principles  of 
science,  requiring  in  its  construction  a  profound  knowledge 
of  the  most  abstruse  and  intricate  sciences,  besides  a  skill, 
that  raustfor  ever  baffle  all  human  imitation.  Was  there 
not  design  and  contrivance  in  its  construction  ;  and  was 
there  not  intelligence  in  its  contrivance  ?  Could  blind  na- 
ture, which  cannot  see,  combine  togetherso  many  abstract 
principles  of  philosophy,  and  arrange  such  an  astonishing 
piece  of  machauism  for  the  purpose  of  seeing,  and  all  that 
too  without  any  thought  or  cveii  design  that  seeing  should 
be  the  result  ?     Have  we  a  single  reader  that  is  so  blind  as 

24 


278  RELIGION   VINDICATED. 

to  think  it?  Probablj  in  the  human  body  there  is  inoro 
than  ten  thoa^and  different  things  designed  and  contrived 
for  as  many  diiferent  purposes.  But  the  phenomena  ofthe 
human  body  and  the  adaptation  of  its  parts,  are  not  so  won- 
derful as  the  more  subtle  powers,  susceptibilities,  and  apti- 
tudes ofthe  mind.  Yet  the  atheist  supposes  that  no  mind 
was  exerted  in  the  production  of  all  this  ! 

Could  we  search  the  vast  depths  of  philosophick  truth, 
and  range  through  creation  with  learned  lore,  we  should 
see  every  where  a  wise  adaptation  of  means  to  ends  ;  every 
where  extended  the  broad,  palpable,  and  boundless  eviden- 
ces of  divine  thought,  wisdom  and  design.  It  will  be  said 
every  thing  may  be  traced  to  the  laws  of  nature.  But  what 
are  the  laws  of  nature  but  the  will  of  God  ?  We  know 
nothing  ofthe  laws  of  nature,  except  what  we  infer  from 
experience.  That  nature's  operations  are  connected  and 
bound  together  in  chains  of  causes  and  effects  we  have  r;; 
doubt,  but  the  strength  and  power  of  these  chains,  we  know 
no  more  of  than  we  do  of  Deity.  Could  we  take  a  stand 
upon  some  astronomical  height;  and  look  abroad  upon  the 
works  of  God,  upon  the  earth,  the  moon,  the  sun,  and  stars ; 
could  we  still  gaze  on  to  other  firmaments  rising  one  above 
another,  like  arches  reared  on  arches  and  stretching  on  in 
a  vast  and  inconceivable  expanse — millions  and  millions  of 
suns,  spheres,  and  worlds,  moving,  wheeling,  rolling,  and 
shining,  in  unbounded  magnificence  and  grandeur  and  har- 
mony— could  we  do  this,  we  should  feel  our  littleness,  as 
we  should  be  overwhelmed  with  the  conviction  of  the  uni- 
versal presence  of  a  creating  and  supporting  power,  an  om- 
nicient  and  omnipotent  Jehovah.  We  should  feel  the 
truth  ofthe  remark,  that, 

'•  The  undevout  astronomer  is  mad." 

The  principal  objection   that   is   made  to   the  idea  of  a 

God,  is,  that  we  do  not  know  there  is  such  a  Being,  for  we 

cannot  comprehend  him.     But  tlie  fact  that  we    cannot 

comprehend  him  is  no  argument  at  all  against  the  positioq 


RELiaiOJ^  VINDICATED. 


279 


that  he  exists;  Ibv  we  coald  not  comprehend  him  were  his 
existence  ever  so  well  known.  Our  inability  to  compre- 
hend him  is  only  proof  of  our  own  weakness,  and  not  of  the 
non-existence  of  our  creator. 

II.  A  belief  in  God  essential  to  morality. — In  a  former 
number,  we  considered  some  of  the  outlines  ofproof  thata 
supreme  intelligent  Being  exists,  and  presides  over  all  the 
varictiss  of  created  nature.  That  such  is  the  fact,  there 
cannot  be  a  rational  doubt.  Vain  philosophy,  it  is  true,  in 
its  daring  attempt  to  unfold  the  arcana  of  things  beyoud  its 
ken,  has  denied  the  existence  of  a  God,  as  v,'ell  as  the  exis- 
tence of  the  human  soul,  or  body,  or  mind.  Because  she 
could  not  fully  comprehend  the  Almighty,  she  rashly  de- 
nied his  being;  because  she  could  not  comprehend  miiid, 
she  also  denied  its  being;  and  for  the  same  reason  she  has 
doubted  the  existence  of  matter  and  of  every  thing  ! 

But  men,  unaffected  with  literary  mania,  will  universally 
believe  that  we  exist,  and  that  the  visible  universe  is  a  real- 
ity. And  if  we  admit  this  wo  must  admit  a  Deity.  If  the 
first  is  true,  the  last  must  be  so.  And  we  conceive  this  to 
be,  not  only  the  grandest  and  most  stupendous  of  all  truths, 
but  by  far  the  most  imporlant  to  mankind  of  any  ever  con- 
ceived or  uttered.  If  men  believe  not  in  a  Deity,  it  is  un- 
deniably true,  that  they  will  acknowledge  no  divine  law, 
and  fear  no  punishment  from  God.  It  isalso  true,  that  so 
far  as  such  men  choose  to  do  right  they  will  dip  so ;  and  when 
they  choose  to  do  wrong,  they  will  do  so,  if  they  can  escape 
human  laws.  If  an  atheist  were  of  so  good  a  disposition — 
of  so  good  a  heart,  that  he  was  entirely  above  temptation—- 
that  he  never  wished  to  do  wrong,  his  atheism  would  not 
injure  any  one  but  himself.  But  when  his  disposition  hap- 
pens to  be  bad — what  then  ?  Vv^ill  it  be  pretended  there  is 
any  thing  then  in  human  laws  to  restrain  him  ?  Will  it  be 
tizi'if]  thnt  inoral  principle  will  hold  him  back  against  the 
rush  of  temptation  and  habit  and  pasfiiou  ?  We  answer, 
this  IB  a  suppoj'ition  where  a  man  hag  not  the  moral  prin- 


y. KLia  1  o>-  V moi'. at !-:d. 

<_;;;.<•,  i>ui  reuiiy  possesses  a  corrupt  nau  baa  ui^j-jiii  ij.v. 
]'.  will  Rot  be  pretended  that  all  men  are  so  good  at  heart  that 
t!:ev  choose  to  do  good  ia  preference  to  evil ;  for  a  mo- 
survey  oi'  the  practice  of  mankind,  the  robberies, 
.  miTrders,  and  ail  the  aggravated  scenes  of  crime 
iuuuua  us,  would  convince  the  most  skeptical  that  human 
ii  ;  uieis  weak  and  frail,  and  wi-li  )>ield  to  strong  temptation 
lestvained  by  ?oine  opposite  motive  still  stronger. 
\»  aat  id  there  then  to  restrain  the  atliei^t  when  he  is  de- 
Sirf<^js  to  cheat,  to  steal,  to  murder,  or  to  do  any  other 
crimes.  Homan  law  must  be  the  only  answer!  But  whal 
is  the  strength  and  security  of  human  law  ?  Why,  if  the 
ulheist  could  contrive  to  commit  his  crime,  without  the 
jrtesence  af  witnesses,  he  mi^ht  do  it  with  perfect  safety. 
The  dark  curtains  of  ni^-ht  njight  conceal  the  darker  deeds 
of  atheism  from  detection.  Under  its  ample  fo-Jds  he  might 
i.dly  forth  to  works  of  black  revenge,  plunder,  and  assas- 
sination, lie  thinks  no  God  sees  hiin — no  human  eye  carii 
pierce  the  darkness  ih^it  shrouds  his  villainy — and  he  be- 
trays nor  himself  with  tlietrcmJjiings  of  guilt  and  fears  of 
..  v:;'...eri;ng  judirumeiit.  V/hat  then  is  the  strength  of  the 
:Si;ppose  lie  happens  to  be  arrested,  in  a  community 
ui  ;iU)eists,  how  would  the  trt>ih  and  nothing  but  the  truth 
be  brought  befare  th«  court  ?  Why,  atheists  might  tell 
he  truth  or  not  tell  the  truth  as  tliey  pleased!  Nothing 
but  the  fear  of  human  l^ws  conUl  induce  them  to  tell  the 
truth,  (v.hen  they  c'lose  not  to  do  it,)  and  all  those  hum'sa 
b.v.s  might  be  evaded  by  perjury  !  Of  what  use  then  wou!; 
liuiTjan  Ia;v:i  be  in  a  con^.munity  of  atheists?  Of  the  san/.. 
prccisely  that  rules  of  relative  action  are  in  a  band  of  rob- 
bers or  banditti,,  uhich  each  woulil  res})ect  and  abide  by  !'■ 
!on2  a.s  l:-2  LOiiceived  it  for  his  interest  to  do  so  and  nolo; 
.  ili  be  seen  that  all  humun  law  derives  it 
.'.  :.;)lc  ?:iengU!  ;^!ul  salutr.ry  influence  from  the  b-elief  of 
God.  Nay,  the  best  law  Dight  become  an  engine  of  inju- 
t.ic.3  and  cruelty  by  that  sy.vteiii  of  perjury   v.h:ch  atheis^i. 


RELlalON  ViNUiCATliD.  281 

allows  aud  no  human  law  coiil  J  prevent.  These  arguments 
are  designed  to  show,  that  atheism,  from  the  very  natwe 
of  things,  removes  all  restraints  of  law,  both  human  and 
divine,  and  leaves  man — frail,  erring  man,  to  do  in  all  cases 
just  as  he  pleases,  or  to  pursue  what  he  conceives  to  be  his 
own  interest  without  reference  to  right  or  wrong.  Show 
us  an  atheist,  and  you  show  us  a  man,  who  would  commit 
perjury  or  murder  or  any  other  crime  that  he  supposed  he 
could  do  without  legal  punishm{ftit,  and  that  he  supposed 
v/ould  be  a  great  benefit  to  himself.  Such  is  human  na- 
ture !  black  enough  to  be  sure,  but  we  think  no  blacker 
than  reality. 

It  may  be  said  that  the  atheist  will  often  practice  virtue 
from  the  love  of  virtue.     But  we  ask   why  the  atheist   will 
love  virtue  ?     The  answer  must  be,  because  he  conceives 
virtue  to  be  conducive  to   human  happiness.     Very  well. 
He  loves  mankind  generally,   but  he  loves  himself  more  ; 
therefore  he  would    prefer  virtue    as  a    means  of  pubiick 
happiness,  when  his  own  interest  was  out  of  the  question ; 
but  when  vice  or  crime  would  conduce   more  to  his  own 
happiness  than  virtue,  then  he  would  prefer  vice  and  crime. 
It  may  be  said  too  that  although  the  atheist  cannot  fear 
God  still  he  fears    disgrace,  pubiick    opinion,  &c.  as  well 
as  human  laws.     Very  well.     He  may  fear  pubiick  opinion 
some.     But   how    many  hundreds  are  there  that  get  too 
much  abandoned  to  regard  pubiick  opinion — who  are  be- 
low shame — and  who  cannot  blush  !     Yet  the  fear  of  the 
invisible  God  may  sometimes  come  over  them,   and  shake 
their  nerves  from  purposes  of  crime.     Let  such  be  atheists, 
and  nothing  but  human  law   will   restrain  them,  and  that, 
unsustaiued    by    religious  considerations,    would   be  like 
binding  the  whirlwind  with  strings.     But  what  is  Pubiick 
Opinion?     A  thing  that  restrains  vice  at  one    time  and  al- 
lows it  at  another.     Pubiick  opinion  always  conforms  to 
the  general  governing  principles  of  society.     Suppose  all 

are  atheists.     They  look  to  no  God  and  no  divine  law  for  a 

24* 


siaijiiiiiJ  o.''.iigbt;  of  coarse"  publick   opinion   would  soon 
:...:■.!&  uoivu  upon  such  piinciples  of  right  as  might  obi.ain 
hoiity  of  custom  :hvJ   fashion.     Every  mctn's  p:ira- 
uiouiic  object  bei^^  his  owa  happiness,   he  wonid  confon: 
to  human  laws  when  he  thought  he  could  not  safely  vif 
lat«  them,  or  when  lie  tliought  it  wodld  be  for  his  lutere- 
to  abide  by  tliem.     And  when  he  thought  it  for  his  liappi- 
usss  or  pleiisure  to  violate  them  he  would  do  it. 

jA.  will  be  objected  that- these  arouments  all  go  upon  the 
suppo'iilioa,  that  man  is  a  perfect: ^-  <'^lfi'^!!  being,  and  actu- 
ated always  by  hopes  and  fears. 

True — man  is  selfish — and  he  is  actuated  by  hopes  an^jl 
fears  principally.  Sympathy,  charity,  love,  hatred,  joy, 
anger,  and  other  affections  of  mind,  have  more  or  less  in- 
fluence over  his  actions;  but  all  tbeaflectionsand  passions 
of  the  mind  are  held  in  a  great  degree  of  subordination  to 
the  high  and  conrroli»g  inrhience  of  hope  and  fear.  Hoj 
and  fear,  therefore,  the  one  to  encourage  virtue  and  the 
other  to  restrain  vice,  are  the  guardian  angels  of  publick 
iiioraiity  and  human  happiness.  They  are  absolutely  in- 
i;5peG3able  to  secure  the  rights  of  each  from  the  fraud- 

rd  criminal  depredations  of  all.     And  these  guardian  ar; 
^els  can  only  live  with  the  firm  belief  of  a  good  and  Al 
mighty  Being  that   governs  the  moral  world.     Eradicate 
the  idea  of  a  GckI  from  the  minds  of  all,  a»d  let  darkness 
deep  and  boundless  be    poured  upon  our  origin  and  end. 
and  every  lightinthe  moral  universe  would  be  extinguish- 
.■j   eternal  line   of  demarcation   between  right  and 
v.ron^  would  be  shaken  with  passion  and  caprice.     Public' 
opinion  would   degenerate  till   love  of  virtue  and  pride  i  , 
character  v.ould  cease  to  be  ;  publick  meuand  publick  lar, 
would  soon  connive  at  all  things  which  beasts  may  do  ;  the 
sacred  ideas  of  hut-band,   wife,    parent,  child,  brother  and 
sister,  would  be  engulphed  in  the  vortex  of  incestuous  and 
common  intercourse  !     Then  most  of  those  high  and  ex- 
alted feelings,  which  origiaate  in  the  contemplations  of  an 


uii  perfect  God,  atui  a  bright  and  immortal  existence,  those 
lofty  asphations  that  esak  human  nature,  the  fine,  gener- 
oa>,  and  tender  seusibihtes  of  the  heart,  the  sweet  and  eu- 
deariug  connnunion  of  minds  impressed  with  the  divine 
presence,  wouid  degenerate  into  universal  apatiij  !  Men, 
thinking  themselves  to  be  beasts,  unseen  except  by  fellow 
Ijeasts,  and  amenable  to  no  other  tribunal,  would  certainly 
act  like  beast;?,  or  rather  worse  as  they  possess  higher  and 
more  exalted  I'icalties.  , 

Do  any  want  proof  of  this  ?     It  is  as  suseeptiblo  of  proof 
.;•;  any  tAing  can  be.     It  is  not  only  demonstrated  from  the 
naturo  of  man,  bi;t  also  from  ail  history.     Every  pretended 
Fhilosopher,  luho  kas  advucated  atheism,  has  cvc iced  more  or 
IcsS'  -plainly,  that  nothing  ivas  ivrong  that  could  he  dojie  safe- 
ly!     Vve  have  never  known  an  individual  advocating  athe- 
ism, whose  moral  principles  were  notvery  much  corrupted. 
We  have  never  I'lnov.'n  otie  whose  moral  honesty  we  would 
■  lare  to  trust!     It  has  never  been  the  general  opinion  of  a 
nation,  so   as   to  manifest  its  influence  upon  publick  laws 
and  national  morals,  except  in  one  instance,  and  it  probably 
never  will  be  a  general  and  coniinued  evil  because  it  is  un- 
natural and  absurd,  and  must  work  out  its  own  destruction, 
The  exception  to  which  we  allude  was  France.     The  le- 
gislature of  France  abolished  the  Christian  Era,  and  for- 
ri'illy    renounced    religion.      By  a  decree  they  declared 
atii  an  eternal  sleep,  and  the  immortality  of  tlie  sou!,  and 
:q  existence  of  God  were  forn-jally  disavov.ed  by  a  Nation- 
;  Convention.     All  the  religions  in  the    world   were  pro- 
claimed to  be  the  daughters  of  ignorance  and  pride  ;  and  it 
;is  decreed  to  be  the  duty  of  the  Convention  to  dissemin- 
f.e  atheism   throughout  the  v/orld.     In  tlie  words  of  an 
iilngiish   author,  "  As  a  part  of  this  duty,  the  convention 
!  jcreed  that  its  cxr)re5s  renunciakion  of  all  religious  wor- 
lip,  should  be  translated  into  all  foreign  languages  !     Cor- 
^pondent  with  these  professions  were  the  effects  actually 
,    ()d nee'!.     Pubii'^':  -.vorship  v,'as  actually  abolished.     The 


264  RELIGIO.X   VI.NDlCA'4'i:D. 

Churches  were  conyefted  into  temples  of  reason,  in  which 
ntheisticai^homeUes  were  substituted  for  the  proscribed 
service  ;  aud  an  absurd  and  ludicrous  imitation  of  the  pa- 
gan mythology  exhibited  under  the  title  of  the  "  religion  oi 
reason."  In  the  principal  church  of  every  town  a  tutelarv 
goddess  was  installed  with  a  ceremony  equally  pedantick, 
frivolous,  and  profane;  and  the  females,  selected  to  per- 
sonify this  new  divinity  were  mostly  prostitutes,  who  re- 
ceived the  adorations  of  the  attendant  municipal  officers, 
and  of  the  multitudes  whom  fear,  or  force,  or  motives  of 
gain,  had  collected  together  on  the  occasion.  Contemp' 
for  religion  or  decency  became  the  test  of  attachmont  to  the 
government  ;  and  the  gross  infraction  of  any  moral  or  so- 
cial duty  was  deemed  a  proof  of  civism,  and  a  victory  over 
prejudice.  All  distinctions  of  right  and  wrong  were  con- 
founded. The  grossest  debauchery  triumphed.  Then 
proscription  followed  upon  proscription  ;  tragedy  followed 
after  tragedy,  in  almost  breathless  succession,  on  the  thea- 
tre of  France  ;  almost  the  whole  nation  was  converted  into 
a  horde  of  assassins.  Democracy  and  atheism,  hand  in 
hand,  desolated  the  country  and  converted  it  to  one  vast 
field  of  rapine  and  blood.  The  moral  and  social  ties  were 
unloosed,  or  rather  torn  asunder.  For  a  man  to  accuse 
his  own  father  was  declared  to  be  an  act  of  civism  worthy 
of  a  true  republican;  and  to  neglect  it,  was  pronounced  a 
crime  that. should  be  punished  with  death.  Accordingly 
women  denounced  their  husbands,  and  mothers  their  sons, 
as  bad  citizens  and  traitors  ;  while  many  women — not  of 
the  dress  of  the  common  people,  nor  of  infamous  reputa- 
tion but  respectable  in  character  and  appearance,  seized 
with  savage  ferocity  between  their  teeth  the  mangled 
limbs  of  their  murdered  countrymen.  France  during  this 
period  was  a  theatre  of  crimes,  which,  after  all  preceding 
preparations,  have  excited  in  the  mind  of  every  spectator 
amazement  aud  horrour.  The  miseries  suffered  by  that 
single  nation,  have    changed   all   th»   histories  of  the  pre- 


RELIGION   VINDiCAXr.D.  ^> 

ceding  sufferinvjs  of  mankind  into  idle  t<;ies,  and  have  beerr 
enhanced  and  inultiphed  without  a  precedeu,  without  a 
liuniL/er,  aud  without  a  nairie.  The  kingdom  appeared  to 
1)6  changed  into  one  great  prison  :  the  inhabitants  conrcrte.ci 
imo  felons,  and  the  corniiion  doo(j:i  of  man  commuted  for 
the  violence  of  the  sword  and  bayonet,  the  sucking  boat 
and  thc^guiHotiue.  To  con^eniplative.  men,  it  seemed  for  a 
season,  as  if  the  kneil  of  the  wiiole  nation  was  tolled,  and 
ti]e  world  sunnnoned  to  its  execution  and  its  funeral. — 
Within  the  short  lime  often  years,  iiot  less  than  three  mil- 
lions of  human  beings  are  supposed  to  have  perished  in 
that  single  country,  by  the  influence  of  atlieism." — Hor:i€. 

Such  is  the  moral  portrait  of  national  atheism!  Such 
is  human  nature,  when  led  to  itself,  and  shrouded  in  lire 
sombre  and  horrible  darkness  of  infidelity!  God  grant 
that  this  nation  may  never  feel  its  iron  grasp — that  the 
chaste  and  ennobling  energies  of  virtue,  the  pure  and  swe«t 
endearments  of  exalted  virtuous  society,  and  the  hoiy  and 
blissful  feelings  of  religion  may  not  wither  away  undeif  the 
blighting  frosts  of  moral  night,  cheerless  and  cold  as  death, 
and  rayless  and  starless  as  the  grave. 

It  will  b-e  objected  that    religion  is    proved  by   the  Smiae 

•;;ns  to  be  pernicious.  Not  so.  Religion's  very  essence 
j.,  moral  goodness.  Its  sole  object  is  the  reformation  of 
men.  Atheism  teaches  men  to  do  vrhatever  they  think  will 
sr-curo  to  them  the  snost  happiness  and  pleasure,  lleligion 
teaches  men  to  do  whatever  God  commands,  and  that  his 
commands  are  all  founded  in  immutable  and  eternal  recti- 
t;a:e. 

Somo  [)rofessor9  are  corru};t — true — but   tlus  militates 

wt  against  religion,     it  only  sliows  that  they  hate  no  ro- 

iigion  as  they  pretend,  or  that  they  have   not  enough  of  it 

'■n   restrain   their  v.icked   propensities.     If  so    muci:   cvii 

lunds  in  spite  of  all  the  efforts  of  religion,  how  di^plora- 

■  v/ould  be  the  condition  of  man    were  these   bauisl^ed 

in  the  world  .'' 


2SG  RELlOIOi^  ri>'DICATED. 

We  shall  be  referred  to  the  Catholicks  at  the  Relorraation^ 
the  Inquisition,  and  the  early  persecution  of  Nctit  England 
lor  proof  that  religion  is  vforse  than  atheism  on  account  of 
the  intolerance  and  persecution  which  it  produces.  Reli- 
gion never  produced  these  efi^ects.  Mercenary,  and  bigot- 
ed priests  had  inflamed  the  minds  of  their  followers,  and 
made  them  believe  that  religion  required  persecution. — 
Here  has  been  the  errour  in  all  religious  persecutions.  It 
was  not  religion  but  the  advantages,  which  wicked  men 
took  of  the  ignorance  and  religious  prejudices  of  the  peo- 
ple, to  fan  the  flames  of  persecution,  and  thus  to  open  the 
way  to  political  ascendency  and  worldly  aggrandizement. 
These  persecutions  are  the  evils  which  irreligious  men  and 
atheists  have  brought  upon  their  fellow  beings  under  the 
stolen  mantle  of  the  religion  of  mercy  and  truth.  'Such 
men  have  made  the  religion  of  heaven  an  engiue  of  cruelty 
and  oppression  that  might  make  angels  blush;  but  this 
only  proves  the  depravity  of  man,  and  the  greater  necessity 
for  some  high  and  powerful  restraint,  such  as  pure  and  un- 
sophisticated religion  imposes  upon  the  mind.  We  are 
apt  to  suppose  that  religion  has  generally  been  attended 
with  persecution  and  has  produced  little  or  no  other  effects; 
but  the  seasons  of  persecution  have  only  been  occasional 
and  interspersed  with  intervals  of  peace  and  security. — 
Shall  we  say  now,  because  men  have  sometimes  eaten  im- 
proper food  that  poisoned  them  to  death,  tl>;it,  therefore, 
it  is  not  proper  to  eat  any  thing  I  That  because  men  have 
sometimes  breathed  a  poisonous  air,  that,  therefore,  it  is  not 
proper  to  breathe  at  all !  That  because  men  have  some- 
times burned  one  another  to  death  with  fire,  that,  therefore, 
it  is  improper  to  use  any  fire  in  any  case  !  That  because 
men  have  sometitnes  perverted  government  to  purposes  of 
ambition,  war,  oppression,  and  injustice,  that  it  is  improper 
to  have  any  government !  That  because  they  have  some- 
times been  imposed  upon  with  counterfeit  money,  that  it 
is  not  proper  to  have  any  money  !     That  because  friend- 


RELIGION  VINDICATED.  287 

ship  has  b^n  sometimes  used  as  a  mantle  for  perfidj  and 
treachery,  that  friendship  should,  therefore,  be  banished 
from  the  earth!  That  because  every  virtue  Iras  been  per- 
verted, that  it  is  ])roper  and  necessaay  gravely  to  turn  every 
virtue  out  of  society  ! 

The  truth  is,  the  greater  any  moral  blessing  is,  the  stron- 
ger and  more  general  will  be  the  propensity  of  men  to  per- 
vert it  to  some  base  purpose.  And  although  religion  as 
the  greatest  and  best  gift  of  heaven  has  been  often  pervert- 
ed and  disgraced  in  the  hands  of  wicked  men,  yet  it  is  as 
essential  to  moral  health  as  the  oxygen  of  the  atmosphere 
is  to  physical  health.  It  is  the  very  vitality,  motive  power, 
and  security  of  the  moral  world.  Without  it  life  would  be 
but  a  woful  dream,  man  an  enigma,  and  all  creation  but  a 
mockery  of  unmeaning  splendour — a  gigantick  and  worth- 
less pile  of  desolation  and  ruin. 

We  have  drawn  a  sketch  of  the  moral  tendency  of  athe- 
ism. We  have  showed  that  self  love,  being  the  ruling  prin- 
ciple of  the  human  heart,  would  always  lead  man  to  do 
what  he  supposed  would  tend  most  to  his  happiness  or 
pleasure,  al!  things  considered.  That  this  is  the  general 
governing  princi])le  of  man  there  can  be  no  doubt.  Every 
individual  is  moving  along  the  journey  of  life  in  the  pur- 
suit of  happiness.  Happiness  is  the  grand  object  before 
him.  He  looks  around  him  as  he  moves  forward  and  judg- 
es what  will  secure  this  object  and  what  will  not.  He 
sometimes  may  neglect  what  his  judgement  teaches  him 
would  yield  him  most  happiness  in  the  end,  to  gratify  and 
indulge  some  strongly  excited  passion,  but  soon  returns  to 
the  pursuit,  according  to  the  convictions  of  his  judgement. 
These  things  being  facts,  indisputable  facts,  let  us  suppose 
two  parallel  cases  to  contrast  the  moral  results  of  theism 
'  with  atheism.  Atheist,  one  that  believes  in  a  God,  is  in 
indigent  circumstances.  He  is  travelling  alone  in  an  un- 
frequented wood.  He  falls  in  company  with  a  stranger 
who  has  a  large  sum  of  money  with  him.     He  thinks  over 


288  ni:LiGjo?<  vindicated. 

the  porerty  and  obscurhj  of  his  own  family.  He  thinks  of 
the  splendid  schemes  he  miglit  accoinpli.*]]  with  this  stran-, 
'4ei's  money.  Ke  reflects  that  there  is  no  witness;  lie  can* 
.ctab  the  stranger  to  the  heart  and  possess  his  nioncT,  n- 
never  he  detected.  The  f  eniptaiion  is  strong  and  iirc:cGt — 
he  hesitates — his  mind  turns  on  God — he  feels  assured  that 
tiie  oiatiipotent  searcher  of  all  hearts  sees  him.  A  stiil 
small  Toice  whispers  to  his  conscience  that  such  a  deed  is 
the  g?ieofhell — that  it  can  never  pass  the  terrible  scrutiny 
«f  the  inflexible  jndge,  nor  escape  the  retribution  of  jus- 
tice, lie  dares  not  be  a  murderer]  He  judges  it  better 
for  him  to  toil  and  be  content  with  the  avails  of  honest  in- 
dustry, than  to  brave  the  thunders  of  the  Ahuighly,  and 
rush  upon  certain  and  inevitable  ruin.  We  have  not  sup- 
posed him  actuated  by  any  thing  better  than  self  iove,  but 
beJieving  in  a  God  "  who  will  not  clear  the  guilty,"  he 
sees  that  he  cannot  be  permitted  to  find  his  happiness  in 
any  pursuit  which  God  will  not^ipprove. 

Let  the  atheist  who  believes  in  no  God  be  placed  in  the 
same  general  circumstances.  Suppose  his  disposition  is 
just  as  good  as  that  of  the  other.  He  aUo  loves  himself 
and  seeks  for  happiness.  From  all  that  he  can  see  or  all 
that  he  believes,  it  will  be  best  for  him  to  rob  and  murder 
the  stranger.  He  thinks  no  man  can  detect  him  and  no 
God  sees  him,  therefore  he  thinks  he  can  lose  nothing,  and 
mast  gain  much  by  acting  for  a  moment  against  bis  sympa- 
thies and  convictions  of  right.     He  commits  the  crime  I 

Now  we  admit  that  one  of  these  men  was  in  disposition 
as  bad  as  the  other;  but  with  similar  dispositions,  and  un- 
der similar  circumstances,  and  acting  too  upon  the  same 
general  principles  of  self  love,  the  atheist  commits  the 
crime,  and  the  theist  does  not. 

Let  it  be  said  the  theist  was  as  bad  at  heart  ae  the  atheist, 
gtill  the  theist  spares  the  stranger,  while  the  atheist  mur- 
ders him.  Here  is  then  a  preference  to  the  moral  influ- 
ence of  belief  as  certain  as  any  truth.  And  it  is  a  prefer- 
ence of  incalculable  importance  to  mankind. 


RELIGION    VINDICATED.  289 

We  mny  bs  ashed  whether  self-lovt  is  the  only  spring  of 
■action  ?  Many  affections  of  mind  have  more  or  less  control 
over  our  actions.  Strong  passion  may  induce  us  to  do 
what  we  are  satisfied  will  not  be  for  our  good ;  so  we  may 
«ay  of  inveterate  habits ;  but  if  in  sflch  cases  we  turn  from 
the  dictates  of  judgement,  it  is  for  the  present  gratification 
of  some  strong  propensity,  and  it  is  only  bartering  away  a 
long  period  of  temperate  enjoyment,  for  less  substantial 
but  more  immediate  and  fascinating  pleasures.  In  such 
cases  all  proceeds  from  self-love.  Loving  ourselves  w© 
seek  the  indulgence  of  our  various  affections,  appetites, 
passions,  &c.  for  the  sake  of  the  delight  they  yield.  For 
HAPPINESS,  the  hero  braves  the  dangers  of  war  ;  the 
mariner  despises  the  perils  of  the  deep  ;  the  labourer  toils ; 
the  miser  starves  and  counts  his  shining  dust ;  the  scholar 
pores  over  the  tomes  of  ancient  and  modern  lore  ;  the  phil- 
osopher intensely  applies  all  his  mental  energies  to  the  in- 
scrutable laws  and  doctrines  of  nature.  ForllAPPINESS, 
the  philanthropist  looks  with  benignant  eye  on  mankind,  and 
attempts  to  mitigate  their  woes,  because  he  can  only  be  happy 
as  he  sees  others  so.  For  happiness  young  and  ardent  love 
seeks  its  object  through  dangers,  perils,  and  unconquerable 
perseverance.  For  the  same  end  revenge  urges  its  way 
through  unwieldly  obstacles,  tramples  in  scorn  upon  all  finer 
and  holier  affections,  and  feasts  with  a  demon's  bliss  on  the 
ruin  of  his  victim.  And  the  pious  worshipper  of  the  Most 
High,  as  he  bends  upon  the  altar  of  his  God,  seeks  his  own 
felicity — it  is  this,  which  he  knows  fills  his  heart  and  soul 
with  purest,  holiest,  and  most  perfect  bliss.  All  things  are 
done  for  happiness.  Therefore,  if  we  would  have  men 
practice  virtue,  we  must  teach  them  that  it  is  essential  to 
their  happiness.  And  they  cannot  see  it,  at  all  times  and 
in  all  conditions,  essential  to  their  happiness,  only  upon 
the  principle  and  persuasion  that  an  invisible  and  all  per- 
fect Being  presides  over  the  world,  and  "will  render  to  every 

man  according  to  his  works."     It  might  be  thought,  that 

25 


290  RELIGION  VINDICATED. 

the  command  to  love  God  with  all  the  heart,  &c.  is  incon- 
sistent with  self-love.  It  is  inconsistent  truly  with  that 
narrow  kind  of  self-love  which  seeks  for  happiness  in  low 
and  groveling  or  wicked  pursuits;  but  perfectly  consistent 
with  that  rational  and  exalted  desire,  which  aspires  after 
happiness  from  a  communion  with  God  and  the  fruition  of 
aH  heavenly  attainments. 

As  the  existence  of  the  SUPREME  BEING  is  the 
foundation  of  all  existence,  so  a  belief  in  Him  is  the  foun- 
dation of  all  belief  and  of  the  whole  moral  universe.  It  is 
the  very  basis — the  everlasting  rock,  on  which  the  whole 
fabrick  of  morals  rests,  and  must  for  ever  rest.  Human 
wisdom  and  philosophy  have  no  substitute  to  offer.  It  is 
necessary  to  believe  other  things  besides  this,  but  this  is  the 
beginning.  This  is  the  foundation  of  nature  and  of  truth. 
And  men,  beginning  here,  may  differ  in  some  subsequent 
and  minor  points,  but  their  differences  must  be  compara- 
tively small  and  of  less  momentous  consideration.  The 
reason  we  think  so,  is,  because  we  think  it  impossible  for 
one  to  believe  in  the  existence  of  a  God,  without  believing 
also  in  his  special  providence,  the  impartial  dispensations 
of  his  justice,  and  the  accountability  of  his  creatures.  We 
could  as  easily  abandon  our  faith  in  his  existence,  as  in 
either  of  the  above  principles.  That  there  is  an  almighty 
intelligence  that  superintends  the  vicissitudes  of  the  uni- 
verse, all  things  in  heaven  and  in  earth  proclaim  ;  and  these 
other  truths  are  but  unavoidable  deductions  from  the  first. 
Is  it  not  as  manifestly  absurd,  to  believe  in  God  who  has 
no  special  providence,  v/ho  has  no  agency  in  any  thing,  as 
to  deny  his  being?  Is  it  not  as  absurd  to  deny,  that  He 
takes  cognizance  of  human  actions,  and  dispenses  justice 
to  his  creatures  in  the  ultimate  unfolding  and  consumma- 
tion of  his  purposes,  as  to  deny  his  existence  ? 

Although  we  have  thus  far  founded  our  argument  upon 
the  influence  of  a  remunerative  and  punitive  principle,  ne- 
cessarily connected  with  the  very  existence  of  a  Deity,  and 


RELIGION   VINPICATED. 


291 


Operating  upon  the  human  mihd  as  powerful  motives  to  vir- 
tue, as  if  the  believer  was  no  better  at  heart  than  the  un- 
believer, yet  we  are  far  from  admitting  that  belief  does  not 
ofteu  allect  the  very  heart — the  disposition,  and  the  mind. 
Whatevermight  have  been  the  first  motives  to  virtuous  ac* 
tions,  they  become  habitual  when  continued  in,  and  modi- 
fy and  nssimilate  all  the  affections  of  the  soul.  No  one 
can  tell  without  much  attention  to  the  subject,  v.'hat  effect 
may  be  produced  upon  the  mind  and  feelings  by  the  fre- 
quent contemplation  of  that  great  and  good  Being.  As 
profane  and  blasphemous  expressions  tend  to  vitiate  and 
corrupt  the  heart,  so  on  the  other  hand,  pious  and  devout 
reflections  tend  to  purify,  improve,  and  enrich  it.  By  seri- 
ous meditations  on  his  greatness,  his  justice,  his  goodness, 
his  unbounded  and  everlasting  love,  and  all  the  glories  of 
divine  perfection,  the  mind  gradually  harmonizes  with  these 
bright  and  lovely  attributes.  And  ever  looking  forward  to 
its  resplendent  and  glorious  object,  the  mind  presses  otl 
with  ever  growing  and  never  tiring  purpose  to  an  humble 
imitation  of  the  divine  goodness.  Our  dispositions  and 
habits  have  always  a  tendency  to  coalesce  with  those  of  the 
persons  with  whom  we  associate,  especially  when  we  hold 
tiiem  in  high  estimation.  The  humble  and  devotional  be- 
liever in  God  so  often  communes  with  him,  meditates  so 
happily  upon  his  amiable  perfections,  and  dwells  with  such 
fervid  and  vivid  emotion  upon  the  bright  image  of  moral 
loveliness,  that  he  is  drawn  imperceptibly  to  admire  and 
love  Gvery  thing  that  resembles  God.  Would  it  not  be  an 
advantage  to  a  young  person  to  be  permitted  to  associate 
with  one  venerable  for  wisdom  and  moral  worth  ?  Most 
certainly.  For  as  vicious  associations  tend  to  contaminate 
the  whole  circle,  so  virtvu)us  associations  tend  also  to 
strengthen  and  enlarge  the  sphere  of  excellence.  The  be- 
liever in  God,  therefore,  need  not  be  alone.  He  has  at 
all  times  access  to  the  fountain  of  all  good.  There  he  may 
improve  his  character,  "grow   in  grace,"  soften  and  hu- 


292 


KELIGIOi^   ViJSDICATEI>. 


manize  his  heart,  chasten  and  elevate  his  affectiona,  and 
approximate  toward  the  perfection  of  that  higli  and  holy 
Being,  tijl  all  meaner  desires  shall  be  absorbed  iu  pure  anti 
spontaneous  devotion  to  the  will  and  law  of  God.  It  is 
this  that  hvi3  raised  millions  ofour  fallen  race  almost  above? 
all  the  elements  of  sin  and  all  the  evil  propensities  of  the 
heart.  This  has  imparted  to  believers  a  foriitudD  in  sick- 
ness, wretchedness,  and  pain,  that  sustained  the  triumph-, 
ant  soul.  Animated  and  supported  with  this,  they  ha? e 
met  the  frawns  of  tyrants  undismayed.  They  have  gone 
with  undaunted  Iirmness  to  gloomy  dungeons — to  be  laid 
in  massy  irons  within  the  dark  vaults  of  cold  and  dreary 
walls.  They  have  felt  the  unutterable  pangs  of  the  inqui- 
sition and  the  Auto  dajf  without  a  groan;  and  they  have 
been  broiled  alive,  to  satiate  the  vengeance  of  unthinking  and 
unfeehng  bigotry  and  blind  ii:faiuation,  while  with  unearthly 
transports,  they  gloiined  God  that  they  were  accounted 
worthy  to  suffer  iu  attestation  of  eternal  truth  !  These 
things  are  facts.  And  they  prove  that  a  belief  in  the  De- 
ity has  a  powerful  influence  on  the  actions  and  characters 
of  men.  Admit,  that  false  religion  has  done  the  most  evii 
of  any  thing — this  only  proves  that  true  religion  has  power 
to  do  the  most  good. 

Let  our  rejjiders  here  pause  and  seriously  reflect  on  the 
subject  of  these  hints.  We  have  not  yet  done  ;  but  if  we 
have  a  reader,  who  douUs  tljc  tyuth  or  utility  of  religion^ 
let  such  at  ieiist  reflect,  whether  he  has  examined  the  evi- 
dences of  religion  without  previous  judgement,  and  with- 
out an  unwillingness  to  be  convinced.  Probably  no  im- 
portant objection  has  ever  been  conceived  by  any  infidel 
that  wt  have  not  considered;  we  have  considered  the  argu- 
ments loo  in  lavour  of  religion,  and  think  them  entirely  un- 
answeiable,  overwhelming  and  conclusive. 

III.  The  subject  of  a  revdation,  considered. — The  people 
ofour  country  may  be  divided  into  three  classes,  atheists, 
deists,  and  christians.     Atheists  believe  in  no  Gcd  ;  deists 


RELIGION  VINDICATED.  29'^ 

believe  in  a  God,  but  not  in  the  scriptures  ;  and  cbristians 
believe  in  a  God,  and  the  scriptures  which  unfold  the  Pa- 
triarchal, Mosaic!;,  and  Christian  dispensations.  It  is  evi- 
dent that  all  the  great  geniuses,  who  in  their  literary  mad- 
ness, have  written  against  religion,  were  really  atheists, 
though  some  of  them  have  partially  concealed  it  under  the 
appearance  of  deism.  Deism  is  in  fact  a  perfect  anomaly. 
No  philosopher  has  ever  been  able  to  systemize  it.  They 
could  only  give  to  "  airy  nothing  a  local  habitation  and  a 
name."  It  is  only  a  kind  oimilk  and  water  injidelity,  (if 
we  may  so  speak,)  designed  for  weak,  moderate,  and  timid 
disciples  of  the  system,  and  such  as  are  but  just  initiated. 
It  is  the  twilight  between  the  light  of  religious  truth,  and 
the  darkness  of  atheism.  It  is"  but  the  intermediate  step 
between  errour  and  truth. 

Mr.  ^.X^neeZanc?,  a  universalist  preacher,  who  stood  among 
tlie  first  for  erudition,  strength  of  mind,  and  interesting 
manners,  became  a  deist.  But  here  he  could  no  more  rest, 
than  a  falling  stone  could  stopbefore  it  comes  to  the  ground. 
He  became  an  atheist  I  Some  censured  him  and  accused 
him  of  bad  motives  :  even  some  of  his  universalist  brethren 
questioned  his  integrity.  We  did  not  like  this  at  the  time. 
Wq,  loved  him  when  in  his  right  mind,  and  had  not  the 
heart  to  persecute  him  in  his  misfortunes.  We  thought 
him  a  good  and  great  man,  that  his  motives  were  always 
good,  but  his  unbounded  thirst  for  knowledge,  his  ardent 
and  inquisitive  disposition  to  extend  his  researches  far  be- 
yond human  limits,  at  last  broke  down  his  giant  intellect, 
and  laid  the  fair,  moral  and  mental  fabrick  in  ruins,  no 
more  to  be  admired,  but  to  moulder  away  in  sunless,  star- 
less, and  joyless  oblivion. 

But  to  return  from  this  digression, — there  is  no  middle 
course;  we  must  be  atheists  or  christians.  Admit  a  God, 
and  the  whole  system  of  Christianity  is  or  may  as  well  be 
admitted.  All  mysteries  are  resolved  into  the  will  and  pur- 
poses of  Jehovah.     Deism  supposes  there  is  a  God,  but 

25  » 


;21>4  RELIGIOilf  yiPCDlCATBD^ 

that  he  has  made  no  revelation  except  through  the  me- 
dium of  nature.  That  be  never  acts  except  through  the 
fixed  lawspf  nature.  That  be  has  no  special  agency  or  prov- 
idence in  the  things  of  the  world.  Now  who  does  not  see 
that  this  is  in  eiTect  atheism  ?  If  deism  has  a  God  it  might 
as  well  have  none,  since  it  assigns  him  nothing  to  do  ;  and 
thinks  it  an  insult  to  offer  him  worship.  If  God  does  not 
act,  it  is  the  same  to  us  as  though  he  did  not  exist.  If  he 
never  interposes  his  power  to  arre&t,.  suspend,  or  direct  the 
course  of  nature,  then  what  avails  it  that  he  exists  ?  Ac- 
cording to  such  theory,  men  live,  and  act,  aiid  die  without 
his  notice,  and  of  course  have  no  rewards  to  expect,  nor 
punishments  to  fear,  but  are  left  to  dodge,  and  snatch  up 
what  little  crumbs  of  comfort  they  can  by  all  the  cunning 
and  art  they  possess  while  here,  and  then  be  annihilated. 
Deists  sometimes  talk  of  their  exalted  ideas  of  God — of  his 
being  far  above  the  little  things  contained  in  the  Bible — 
that  he  is  far  above  any  thing  like  a  miracle  or  special  prov- 
idence— that  he  is  far  above  any  special  agency  in  the  little 
affairs  of  the  world.  Now  must  not  their  God  be  vastly 
great  and  glorious  to  make  a  world,  and  people  it  with 
rational  beings  and  never  taUe  any  further  notice  of  it .' — 
What  a  grand  and  sublime  character,  to  fill  the  world  with 
iutelligencies,  and  take  no  further  notice  of  their  actions, 
or  their  "destinies  !  The  deist's  God  seems  to  be  great  in- 
deed, since  he  is  too  great  to  take  any  notice  of  his  own 
works,  or  have  any  agency  in  the  concerns  of  his  own  cre- 
ation. Do  they  really  think  he  is  Hke  some  great  men 
among  us,  too  much  a  gentleman  to  engage  in  any  useful 
business  ?  Although  the  idea  is  rather  sarcastick,  it  does 
really  seem  that  they  have  some  such  conceptions  of  tho 
Divine  Being  !  Else  why  suppose,  since  there  is  a  God, 
that  he  should  not  be  present  to  manage  every  thing  and 
do  every  thing  that  justly  ought  to  be  done  ? 

1.  It  must  be  admitted  by  deists  that  God  is  able  to  make 
a  special  revelation.     That  he  could  do  this  if  he  pleased. 


RKIilGlOIK  VINDICATED.  205 

That  ho  eould  not  only  reveal  trutli  to  the  human  mind, 
but  could  make  that  muul  sensible  that  such  truth  was  a 
revelation  froiu  him.  For  if  ho  could  make  man  capable  of 
communicating  his  thoughts  to  his  fellow  man,  he  must 
have  power  to  make  a  revelation. 

2.  If  God  have  power  to  do  it,  he  would  do  it  if  it  were 
necessary,  pnnided  he  were  wise  and  good.  The  deist  in- 
fers from  the  order  and  harmony  of  nature,  and  the  abun- 
dance of  benificent  tokens,  poured  forth  upon  all  thin,5;s, 
that  the  author  of  all  things  must  be  wise  and  good,  there- 
fore, they  must  admit  that  a  revelation  could  and  would 
have  been  made,  had  it  been  necessary.  We  intend  to  ad- 
duce arguments  to  prove  that  it  was  necessary,  but  we 
must  suspend  them  for  the  present,  for  the  purpose  of  pre- 
senting some  further  general  considerations  on  the  subject. 

Before  attempting  to  prove  a  special  revelation  necessa- 
ry, we  would  prepare  the  way  by  answering  some  objec- 
tions which  have  at  times  obtruded  themselves  upon  our 
peace. 

1.  If  God  designed  to  make  a  revelation  to  men,  why 
did  he  not  make  it  to  each  and  every  person,  since  he  could 
do  it  as  easy,  and  not  oblige  almost  the  whole  v/orld  to 
trust  to  the  veracity  of  a  few  for  a  revelation  ? 

Now  suppose  we  were  to  reply  to  this,  "  we  do  not 
know,"  would  that  be  any  argument  that  God  had  not  re- 
vealed divine  truth  in  the  Bible  ?  Does  not  the  deist  see 
and  believe  thousands  of  things  in  the  works  of  God  which 
are  inexplicable  to  him  ?  Can  the  deist  tell  us  n'liy  all 
things  are  to  be  found  in  his  book  of  nature  which  he  sees 
there  ?  But  God  undoubtedly  has  good  reasons  for  ma- 
king a  revelation  as  he  did.  We  might  ask,  why  did  not 
God  make  all  men  perfectly  wise  and  good  the  moment  they 
were  born  ?  W'hy  did  he  not  build  them  houses,  prepare 
their  clothes,  and  spread  out  in  every  house  fine  furniture, 
r.id  a  rich  table  laden  with  all  varieties  of  food  richly  cook- 

1  ?     Why  did  he  not  clear  us  farms,  lay  us  out  gardens. 


296  RK1.IGIOK   VinOlCATED. 

wp.lks,  bowprs,  teraples,  cities,  bridges,  navies,  etc.  etc.  ? 
He  has  not  tlone  these  things.  Can  the  deist  tell  us  why 
he  did  not  do  it,  when  he  could  have  done  it  just  as  easy, 
so  as  not  to  put  us  to  all  this  tiouble  ?  Tf  the  deist  will 
tell  us  this,  and  thus  explain  this  part  of  his  hook  of  nature, 
we  r/ill  engage  to  tell  why  the  Deity  did  not  make  a. "special 
revelation  to  every  man's  mind,  so  as  not  to  put  us  to  all 
the  trouble  of  searching  after  the  evidences  of  truth.  The 
fact  appears  to  be,  that  God  has  wisely  placed  the  objects 
of  our  natural  wants  at  a  little  distance,  but  has  given  us 
powers  and  faculties  to  obtain  them,  thus  making  that  ex- 
ercise and  employment  so  necessary  to  health  and  happi- 
ness, also  essential  to  the  supply  of  our  natural  wants.  We 
can  all  see,  that  this  economy  is  one  of  the  greatest  physi- 
cal blessings.  So  he  seems  in  like  manner  to  have  placed 
the  unexhausted  stores  of  intellectual  riches  and  divine 
wisdom  at  a  little  distance,  but  yet  so  near  that  every  one, 
by  the  due  improvement  of  his  faculties,  may  obtain  as 
much  as  is  necessary  for  him.  The  evidences  of  the  au- 
thority and  truth  of  revelation  are  within  the  grasp  of  every 
person  that  will  devote  his  mind  seriously  and  candidly  to 
the  examination.  The  feeblest  mind  may  find  enough, 
and  yet  they  are  so  capacious,  so  numerous,  and  so  inex- 
haustible, that  the  strongest  minds,  such  as  Locke,  New- 
ton, and  other  giants  in  intellectual  science,  may  also  find 
enough  to  satisfy  their  every  inquiry  ;  so  it  is  a  fact  beyond 
controversy,  that  the  greatest  students  of  nature,  the  great- 
est philosophers  of  this  world,  have  been  the  best  of  chris- 
tians. 

A  constant  and  special  revelation  to  every  person  would 
cut  of  all  the  pleasures  of  mental  exercise,  all  free  moral 
agency,  and  would  destroy  the  very  constitution  of  man, 
and  would  be  a  palpable  anomaly  to  the  whole  system  of 
divine  economy. 

2.  The  second  objection  is,  if  the  Bible  is  a  revelation 
from  heaven,  how  comes  it  to  contain  go  many  indecent 


KELIGIOIS   VIPfDICATEI).  S97 

and  immodest. expressions,  especially  in  some  paita  oftlie 
Old  Testament  ? 

This  objection,  from  its  peculiar  delicacy,  we  v/ould  glad- 
ly pass  over  in  silence,  were  it  not  for  the  fact,  tLnt  it  iis  ia 
the  mouths  of  many,  who  probably  never  gave  the  subject 
a  single  day's  serious  reflection  ;  and  it  is  tauntingly  flung 
out  as  certain  proof  that  the  Bible  is  false  and  immoral. — 
Let  it  be  then  considered  by  such  as  only  want  the  truth, 
that  the  Bible  was  given  in  such  language  as  was  then  used 
and  understood  ;  and  had  it  been  given  in  any  other,  it 
would  have  been  unintelligible.  At  the  tinse  of  writing  of 
the  first  parts  of  the  Old  Testament,  men  were  like  the 
heathen  in  their  manners  and  tastes.  Men  associated  v/ith 
men,  and  did  not  mingle  in  common  society  and  conversa- 
tion with  females.  Consequently  they  had  no  ideas  of  re- 
finement, delicacy  or  modesty.  But  the  occurrence  of 
these  expressions  in  the  Bible  is  mairJy  to  forbid  and  con- 
demn such  habits  as  prevailed  in  such  unrefined  state  of 
society.  This  very  Bible  was  the  means,  and  the  only 
means,  as  history  and  facts  plainly  show,  of  bringing  wo- 
men forward,  from  that  degraded  vassalage,  ia  which  they 
have  been  ever  held  in  all  unchristian  countries,  to  that 
rank  ia  human  society  for  which  the  God  of  heaven  de- 
signed them.  Here  under  the  broad  protection  of  Chris- 
tianity, women  have  stood  (onh  ;\s  compajiiojis.  Christian- 
ity has  taught  them  that  they  have  minds  to  cultivate  and 
virtues  to  cherish.  A  social  intercourse  and  mutual  im- 
provement  of  taste,  manners,  and  conversational  enjoyment 
have  been  the  consequence.  Mow,  men  have  ideas  of  mod- 
esty, decency,  6cQ.  and  in  the  light  of  this  refinement 
brought  about  by  the  Bible,  they  turn  round  and  affect  to 
be  astonished  at  words  used  at  a  lime  that  no  others  would 
have  answered  tiie  purpose!  But  not  in  a  single  instance 
can  it  be  found  that  any  immodest,  indecent,  or  immoral 
acta  were  laid  down  with  opprobniion  and  encouragement. 
JVe  shotild  no't  go  to  the  Bible  foy  notions  of  fs&hionablt) 


298  RELIGIO.^  VINDICATED. 

refinement  ss  we  would  to  a  novel,  but  without  levity,  with 
the  sincere  desire  of  our  hearts  to  learn  our  duty  and  do  it. 

'3.  If  the  Bible  is  a  divine  revelation,  why  was  it  not  made 
in  the  beginning  of  creation,  and  continued  to  be  known 
and  understood  by  all  men  in  all  ages? 

We  answer.  Had  a  full  and  complete  revelation  been 
given  i:-  the  earliest  age  of  the  world,  it  must  have  consist- 
ed entirely  of  prophecy  or  the  prediction  of  future  events, 
as  then  nothing  had  transpired  for  history.  And  a  pub- 
lished prediction  of  all  the  events  recorded  in  the  Bible 
might  have  prevented  the  occurrence  of  most  of  them,  as 
they  were  dependant  on  human  agency.  Who  can  believe 
that  the  sons  of  Jacob  would  have  disposed  of  their  brother 
Joseph  as  they  did  ;  that  Potipher's  wife  would  have  done 
as  she  did  ;  &c.  had  all  these  things  been  plainly  predicted 
to  all  of  them?  Who  can  believe  that  the  Egyptians  would 
have  refused  to  give  up  the  Hebrews,  and  suffered  all  the 
plagues  which  were  designed  '*  to  show  forth  the  power  of 
God"  and  to  inspire  the  confidence  of  those  people  wha 
were  to  follow  the  cloud  by  day  and  the  pillar  of  fire  by 
night  ?  And  who  thinks  the  infatuated  armies  of  Pharaoh 
would  have  followed  the  children  of  Israel  into  the  red  sea, 
had  they  known  all  these  things  before  hand  ?  Of  course 
such  a  revelation  must  prove  to  be  false. 

It  may  be  said,  that  God  could  cause  all  events  to  take 
place,  as  predicted.  True,  and  he  has  done  it,  by  putting 
forth  a  revelation,  compounded  of  both  history  and  prophe- 
cy, written  in  different  ages,  presenting  a  perfect  chain  of 
events,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  to  the  end,  both 
predicted  and  recorded,  harmonizing  in  all  its  parts,  and 
unfolding  its  consistency  and  excellence  from  age  to  age 
as  a  stupendous  concatenation  of  self  vindicated  truth. 

Furthermore,  we  could  not  then  compare  the  moral  and 
social  condition  of  mankind,  wiio  had  not  the  blessings  of 
revelation  with  that  of  those  who  had  them,  so  as  to  dis- 
cover the  necessity,  the  worth,  and  the  moral  power  of  such 


RELIGION   VINDICATED.  299 

a  revelation  as  we  now  do.  Now  wo  can  look  back  upon 
the  degraded  ages  of  the  world  previous  to  the  illumination 
of  divine  truth;  and  we  can  look  around  upon  the  nations 
on  whom  the  sun  of  righteousness  has  never  dawned,  and 
we  can  see  the  same  universal  degeneracy — the  same  gross 
idolatries — the  same  universal  poligamy,  the  same  indecent 
abominations,  prostitutions,  the  degradation  of  females, 
&c.  every  where  abounding  in  every  age  and  place  that  is 
not  elevated  with  the  moral  influences,  and  virtuous  prin- 
ciples of  the  gospel ;  and  we  can  learn  from  thence  the 
vast — the  infinite  worth  and  power  of  the  gospel  of  Christ. 
If  a  single  soul  can  survey  the  whole  effect  of  Christianity 
on  the  state  of  human  society,  and  contrast  it  with  the  hea- 
then and  pagan  nations  of  all  ages,  and  all  the  kingdoms 
of  the  "  false  prophet,"  and  yet  feel  opposed  to  Christiani- 
ty, he  must  possess  the  heart  of  a  fiend  and  the  nerves  of  a 
demon. 

Thank  God,  a  revelation  has  been  made.  It  has- been 
made  exactly  at  the  right  time.  It  has  been  promulgated 
to  all  the  extent  that  was  necessary  at  this  time  for  the  ac- 
complishment of  its  predictions;  and  jt  will  continue  to  be 
promulgated  till  "  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  shall  be- 
come the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  his  Christ,"  till  "his 
kingdom  shall  extend  from  the  rivers  to  the  ends  of  the 
earth,"  till  "  the  glory  of  the  Lord  shall  be  revealed  and  all 
flesh  shall  see  it  together,"  till  "  the  earth  shall  be  full  of 
the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea,"  till 
**  all  the  ends  of  the  world  shall  remember  and  turn  unto 
the  Lord,  and  all  the  kindreds  of  the  nations  shall  worship 
before  him." 

IV.  The  necessity  of  a  divine  revelation,  considered. — In 
order  to  form  an  opinion  of  the  necessity  of  a  divine  reve- 
lation, containing  a  transcript  of  the  natural  and  moral  at- 
tributes of  Jehovah,  his  will  concerning  our  actions,  and 
our  final  destination,  we  must  look  at  the  condition  of 
mankind  where  the  Bible  has  been  unknown ;  and  com- 


SOO  aKLieio.'t  vi:»dicated. 

pare  it  \vi;h  ihe  condition  of  men  where  it  la  knovrn.  If  we 
shall  find,  from  eurveying  the  condition  of  luan  unenhght- 
ened  with  the  gospel,  a  utiiversal  defect  which  neither 
learning  nor  {)hilosophy  nor  any  human  device  can  supply  or 
obviate,  we  shall  then  sec  the  necessity  of  something  more 
than  we  possess  by  nature.  Hence  we  shall  infer,  that  a 
wise  and  good  God  must  have  granted  that  which  was  so 
necessary  for  us.  Then  on  the  other  hand,  when  we  find 
the  gospel  to  be  the  very  thing  and  the  only  thing  to  com- 
plete and  finish  our  happiness  and  the  pertection  of  our 
condition,  we  shall  be  constrained  to  confess  that  the  gos- 
pel was  the  great  thing  necessary  to  men,  and  was  there- 
fore the  very  thing  which  a  wise  and  good  God  must  have 
given  to  men. 

1.  If  is  a  fact  that  among  all  nations  unchristianized,  the 
most  imperfect,  absurd,  pernicious  and  degrading  views 
of  God  obtained.  And  not  only  so  but  the  most  extrava- 
gant notions  of  worship  and  moral  duty,  and  consequently 
the  most  degraded,  corrupt  and  miserable  condition  of  the 
people.  The  Roman  empire  in  her  ancient  splendour, 
was  probably  the  most  refined  and  virtuous  part  of  the  pa- 
gan world.  But  what  was  the  Roman  empire?  They 
had  the  refinements  of  human  learning.  They  had  great 
philosophy,  great  orators,  great  statesmen,  heroes,  conquer- 
ors, patriots,  and  all  the  greatness  and  goodness  which  un- 
christianized communities  can  attain  to.  Yet  "  temples 
and  fanes  v.ere  erected  to  all  the  passions ,  desires,  fears  and 
evils,  to  which  mankind  are  subject.  Suited  to  the  vari- 
ous characters  of  the  divinities  were  the  rites  of  their  wor- 
ship. Many  of  them  were  monsters  of  the  grossest  vice 
and  wickedness ;  and  their  rites  were  absurd,  licentious, 
and  cruel,  and  often  consisted  of  mere  unmixed  crime, 
shameless  dissipation  and  debauchery.  Prostitution  in  all 
its  deformity,  was  systematically  annexed  to  various  pagan 
temples,  was  often  a  principal  source  of  their  revenues, 
and  was,  in  some  countries,  even  compulsory  upon  the  fe- 


RELIGION  VINDICATED.  301 

raale  population  !  Other  impurities  were  solemnly  prac- 
ticed by  them  in  their  temples,  and  in  publick,  from  the 
very  thought  of  which  our  minds  revolt.  Besides  the  num- 
bers of  men,  who  were  killed  in  the  bloody  sports  and  spec- 
tacles instituted  in  honour  of  their  deities,  human  sacrifi- 
ces were?oifered  to  propitiate  them."* 

Such,  reader,  is  the  refined  condition  of  the  most  impro- 
ved but^unchristianized  country  in  the  universe.  So  high 
may  liuman^efforts  unaided  by  the  gospel  raise  mankiud 
andjno  higher.  It  is  the  very  acme  in  morals  and  happi- 
ness to  which  mankind  are  capable  of  rising  without  a  re- 
velation. But  the  greatest  of  all  the  abominations,  which 
Christianity  is  designed  to  obviate,  is  the  horrible  custom 
of  offering  human  victims  to  appease  the  imaginary  wrath 
of  the  pagan  deities.  "  The  chief  oracles  among  the  hea- 
thens appointed  human  sacrifices;  as  that  of  Delphia,  that 
of  Dodona  and  that  of  Jupiter  Saotes.  It  was  a  custom 
among  the  Phinicians  and  Canaanites,  in  times  of  great  cal- 
amity, for  their  kings  to  sacrifice  one  of  their  sons,  whom 
they  loved  most ;  and  it  was  common  both  with  them,  as 
well  as  the  Moabites  and  Ammonites,  to  sacrifice  their 
children.  Further,  the  Egyptians,  Athenians,  and  Lace- 
demonians, and  generally  speaking,  all  the  Greeks;  th« 
Romans,  Carthagenians,  Germans,  Gauls,  and  Britons; — 
in  short  all  the  heathen  nations  throughout  the  world  of- 
fered human  sacrifices  upon  their  altars;  and  this  not  on 
certain  emergencies  and  imminent  dangers  only,  but  con- 
stantly and  in  some  places  every  day.  Upon  extraordinary 
accidents  multitudes  were  sacrificed  at  once  to  their  san- 
guinary deities.  Thus  during  the  battle  between  the  Sicil- 
ian army  under  Gelonand  the  Carthagenians  under  Amil- 
carin  Sicily,  the  latter  remained  in  his  camp,  oflfering  sac- 
rifices to  the  deities  of  his  country  and  consuming  upon  one 

*For  this  quotation  and  others  on  this  subject,  the  reader  is  re- 
ferred to  the  first  chapter  of  Horne's  Introduction  to  the  critical  study 
and  knowledge  •fthe  Holy  Scriptures.  A  work  which  establishes 
tho  Revdation  of  the  Bible  beyond  ail  cavil  or  controversy. 

26 


iJ0i2  RELlGiOIt  VUNDICATED. 

large  pile  ihe  bodies  of  numerous  victims.  When  Agatho- 
cles  was  about  to  besiege  Carthage,  its  inhabitants  seeing 
the  extremity  to  which  they  were  reduced,  imputed  all  their 
misfortunes  to  the  anger  of  Saturn  ;  because,  instead  of 
ofiering  up  children  of  noble  descent,  (who  were  usually 
sacrificed,)  there  had  been  fraudulently  substituted  for  them 
the  children  of  slaves  and  foreigners.  Two  hundred  child- 
ren of  the  best  families  in  Carthage  were  therefore  immo- 
lated, to  propitiate  the  offended  divinity;  to  whom  up- 
wards of  three  hundred  citizens  voluntarily  sacrificed  them- 
selves from  a  sense  of  their  guilt  of  this  pretended  crime. 
On  another  occasion,  the  Carthagenians  having  obtained  a 
victory,  immolated  the  handsomest  of  their  captives,  the 
flame  of  whose  funeral  pile  was  so  great  as  to  set  their  camp 
on  fire."  Who  can  read  the  story  of  such  abominations 
and  cruelties  and  not  feel  his  heart  bleed  within  him  ?  Are 
there  men  who  have  basked  in  the  broad  light  of  revela- 
tion, and  enjoyed  the  healthful  morals  and  general  happi- 
ness which  it  imparts  to  society,  and  who  would  now  break 
down  its  pillars  and  crush  the  highest  interests  of  all  future 
ages  in  its  ruins?  Yes  there  are  such  men.  Men  too 
that  profess  much  benevolence  and  philanthropy  !  But 
they  are  either  deeply  deluded  and  infatuated,  or  they  are 
the  heartless  and  unprincipled  enemies  of  mankind. 

There  are  now  in  all  unchristian  nations  vices  of  the 
most  hoirible  character,  so  universally  prevalent  as  to 
evince  the  absolute  imbecility  of  all  human  wisdom,  and 
its  entire  inefficjeny  to  guide  mankind.  In  the  unchristian 
countries  of  Africa,  Tartary,  and  the  Philippian  Isles,  the 
grossest  idolatry  and  superstition  prevails  and  correspond- 
ing vices.  Among  these  are  polygamy,  every  man  having 
as  many  wives  as  he  pleases  with  the  privilege  to  abandon 
any  of  them  at  pleasure.  Infanticide,  the  practice  of  mur- 
dering such  infants  as  they  choose  not  to  raise.  Cannibal- 
ism, the  practice  of  eating  human  flesh,  and  butchering 
one  another  for  food  as  we  do  the  brutes,  though  this  is  not 


RELlGlO?f   VINDICATED.  303 

universal.  Universal  prostitui ion,  and  the  degradation,  sla- 
very, and  misery  of  the  females. 

And  indeed  Hindostan  and  China,  although  renowned 
for  their  progress  in  arts,  are  little  or  no  better  in  point  of 
morahty.  The  Hindoos  have  no  less  than  three  hundred 
and  thirty  millions  of  gods  to  worship  and  appease.  They 
have  impure  and  shocking  rites,  self-tortures,  the  burning 
of  widows,  the  destruction  of  infants,  an  unrestrained  in- 
tercourse between  the  sexes,  polygamy,  self-devotion  to 
Juggernaut,  and  other  horrid  customs  too  numerous  and 
awful  to  be  described. 

"The  universal  characteristicks  of  the  Hindoos  are  hab- 
itual disregard  of  truth,  pride,  tyranny,  theft,  falsehood,  de- 
ceit, conjugal  infidelity,  filial  disobedience,  ingratitude,  (the 
Hindoos  have  no  word  expressive  of  thanks)  a  litigious 
spirit,  perjury,  treachery,  covetousness,  gaming,  servility, 
liatred,  revenge,  cruelty,  private  murder,  the  destruction 
of  illegimate  children,  particularly  by  procuring  aborticn 
(not  fewer  than  ten  thousand  children  are  computed  to  be 
thus  murdered  in  the  single  province  of  Bengal  every 
month,)  and  want  of  tenderness  and  compassion  to  the 
poor,  the  sick,  and  the  dying." 

In  China  the  finest  arts  prevail,  yet  their  morals  are  in 
many  things  no  better  than  among  the  Hindoos.  Polyg- 
amy is  universal  among  them,  the  degradation  and  misery 
of  women  as  the  never  failing  consequence  of  polygamy, 
and  the  exposure  and  destruction  of  infants.  This  last 
cruel  and  inhuman  practice  prevails  to  such  an  extent 
that  no  less  than  nine  thousand  are  estimated  to  be  thus 
murdered  in  the  city  of  Pekin  every  year.  O,  God  !  are 
these  the  boasted  advantages  of  living  without  a  knowledge 
of  Christ  and  a  divine  revelation  ! ! 

Those  numerous  nations  who  bow  to  the  sceptre  of  "  the 
false  prophet"  deriving  theirreligion  in  part  from  the  Bible, 
believe  in  one  God,  and  are  not  so  extravagant  in  their  idol- 
atries, yet  as  they  derive  their  morals  from  a  licentious  and 


304  REIiIGlON  TIIVDICATED. 

lacivious  impostor,  they  are  about  equally^degraded  with 
those  of  the  pagan  world.  "  Nor  are  the  absurdities  in  reli- 
gion among  the  modern  heathen  nationsgreater  than  those 
which  existed  among  the  polished  nations  of  antiquity  be- 
fore the  publication  of  the  gospel;  which  are  a  just  proof 
that  no  age  or  country,  whether  rude  or  civilized,  instruct- 
ed or  uninstructed,  .infected  or  uninfected  with  pknty  or 
luxury,  is  or  can  be  secured  by  mere  natural  reason  against 
fulling  into  the  grossest  errours  and  corruptions  in  religion; 
and,  consequently,  that  all  raanUind  stand  in  need  of  a  di- 
vine revelation  to  make  known  to  them  the  will  of  God, 
and  the  duties  and  obligations  which  they  owe  to  their 
creator." 

The  most  distinguished  ancient  philosophers,  such  as 
Socrates,  SenecafcPlato,  and  others,  acknowledge  the  ne- 
cessity of  a  Divine  revelation  to  guide  mankind  to  true 
wisdom  and  happiness.  Yet  deists  of  this  age  think  the 
light  of  nature  sufficient  for  all  human  purposes,  that  it  is 
without  mysteries,  plain  and  intelligible  to  all! 

That  it  is  insufficient  is  plain  from  the  fact  that  it  teaches 
no  hereafter;  and  affords  no  other  comforts  to  human  wo, 
and  no  other  encouragements  to  peisecuieti  truth  and  ne- 
glected virtue  than  prospective  annihilation  ;  and  holds  out 
no  terrours  to  evil  doers  but  the  imperfect  enactments  of 
human  wisdom.  That  the  light  of  nature  is  mysterious  is 
proved  from  the  factl that  its  greatest  interpretors  utterly 
fail  to  explain  it;  that  it  is  not  plain  and  intelligible  to  all, 
l>ecause  uol  a  single  one — not  even  a  deist,  can  understand 
any  thing  more  than  a  few  of  its  obvious  truths.  That  it  is 
not  sufficient  for  morality,  because  tho  most  degrading  and 
aggravating  immoralities  have  universally  characterized  all 
unchristian  nations  that  have  ever  lived. 

Deists  of  our  country  will  retort  that  they  are  uncon- 
scious of  its  sufficiency  because  they  are  themselves  under 
its  guidance  and  are  sufficiently  moral.  That  there  are 
some   moreU   deists,   we  cheerfully   concede;  but  we  ask 


RELIGION    VINDICATED.  305 

whether  tlie  foundation  of  their  morality  was  laid  in  deism 
or  in  Christianity?  Generally  they  were  first  taught  to  rev- 
erence Christianity,  and  they  derived  their  early  and  lasting 
moral  impressions  from  the  Bible.  Or  if  they  were  never 
taught  to  respect  the  scriptures,  still  they  were  brought  up 
in  a  christian  community.  The  manners,  customs,  and 
laws  of  a  christian  country  have  exerted  a  constant,  though 
perhaps  to  them  imperceptible,  influence  upon  their  moral 
susceptibilities  and  principles.  Hence  it  is  fact  that  deists, 
while  they  imagine  their  light  and  their  morals  all  derived 
from  nature,  have  actually  derived  them  directly  or  indirect- 
ly from  Christianity.  This  is  the  reason  and  the  only  reas- 
on that  modern  deists  have  more  distinct  and  well  defined 
moral  principles,  than  ancient  philosophers,  who  drew 
their  principles  solely  from  the  book  of  nature.  It  is  su- 
premely ridiculous  for  them  to  boast  of  their  pure  and  ex- 
alted moral  princijdes,  when  every  one  of  them  is  contain- 
ed in  the  New  Testament,  and  not  one  of  them  has  ever 
flourished  any  where  but  in  christian  countries! 

In  looking  over  the  condition  of  mankind  in  all  countries 
and  ages  where  Christianity  has  not  exerted  its  glorious  in- 
fluence, we  should  find  a  few  prominent  points  of  immoral- 
ity, which  from  their  universality  would  seem  to  be  distin- 
guishing marks  of  an  unchristianized  community.  They 
are  1.  Polytheism  with  all  the  moral  and  social  evils  con- 
nected with  it.  2.  Polygamy  with  its  evils,  which  are  un- 
bounded licentiousness,  the  pollution  and  destruction  of  all 
the  endearing  ties  of  kindred  and  friends,  and  the  wretched, 
degraded,  and  enslaved  condition  of  all  the  females. 

Besides  these  we  may  reckon  as  the  common  evils  of 
those  benighted  countries  which  have  never  received  the 
gospel,  the  cruelties  of  government,  the  cruel  disposition 
of  parents  over  children,  husbands  over  wives,  masters  over 
servants,  the  exposure  and  murder  of  infants,  and  a  long 
train  of  evils  too  numerous,  too  complicated,  too  aggravated, 

and  too  horrible  for  any  description.     What  we  have  said 

26* 


306  RELiGmsr  viitdicate^. 

on  this  point  is  only  a  sketch,  but  he,  who  can  serionsfy 
survey  all  this,  and  then  say  Christianity  is  of  no  use  to 
the  world  (we  mean  independently  of  futurity)  we  thisk,- 
must  be  either  mentally  or  morally  deranged. 

We  have  shown  that  all  communities  of  people,  without  the 
christian  religion,  have  been  without  any  fixed  and  perma- 
nent morality,  and  without  any  sufficieot  barrier  to  the  gross- 
est vices — that  all  such  communities  have  been  awfully 
degraded  in  every  age  and  in  every  country  under  heaven. 
This  fact  is  presented  to  show  that  Christianity  is  necessary 
to  the  social  and  moral  condition  of  men.  It  will  be  objec- 
ted now,  that  christian  communities  have  been  awfully  cor- 
rupt and  degraded  too — that  even  pious  teachers  of  Christi- 
anity have  sometimes  been  guilty  of  the  blackest  crimes; 
and  that,  therefore  i{ something  is  necessary,  Christianity  is 
not. 

To  answerall  this  ingenuity,  we  say  1st.  Although  much 
corruption  abounds   in  christian  countries  and  among  its 
professors,  yet  it  is  a  fact,  that  the   moral   condition  of  all 
christian  countries  is  far  better  than  that  of  any  unchristian 
country.    2d.  There  is  no  country  where  Christianity  has 
any  thing  more  than  a  partial  influence  over  the  hearts  of 
the   people.     3d.  There   is  in  all  christian   communities 
enough  of  spurious  Christianity  and  infidelity  to  limit  the 
influence  of  truth,  and  give   human  propensities  all  the  in- 
dulgence that  we  discover,  in  the  wickedness  of  christian 
nations  and  the  abominations  of  professors.     4th.  All  this 
is  only  an  additional  argument  for  the  necessity  of  Christian- 
ity;  as  it  shows  that  human  propensities  are  so  strong,  that 
Christianity  itself  can  restrain  them  only  when  they  are  un- 
der its  immediate  and  positive  energy.     And  5th.  However 
small  the  effect   produced    by  the  christian  religion,  it  is 
true,  that  its  only  design  and  tendency  is  to  make  men  bet- 
ter and  happier.     Yes,  all  its  precepts  and  requirements 
will  lead  to  this  end  if  complied  with.  .  No.  deist  can  deny 
this.    Hence,  if  men  have  wrangled  about  it,  if  they  have 


RELIGION  VINDICATED.  807 

used  it  for  corrupt  purposes,  if  they  have  perverted  its 
high  and  righteous  obligations,  does  all  this  prove  there  is 
no  necessity  for  Christianity?  Surely  not:  but  it  only 
proves  the  perverseness  of  human  nature,  and  the  greater 
necessity  and  importance  of  Christianity ;  and  not  such 
Christianity  as  "plays  around  the  head,  and  comes  not  to  the 
heart,"  but  that,  which  has  its  empire  in  the  moral  affec- 
tions, and  makes  men  practical  christians. 

Now  can  the  deist  in  view  of  this  reasoning  contend  (hat 
natural  light  is  sufficient  for  all  moral  purposes?  It  is  a 
very  dark  light;  so  dark  indeed  that  none  can  see  it  clearly. 
No  man  ever  professed  to  be  a  deist  till  the  middle  of  the 
16th  century.  Then  some  men  in  France  adopted  that 
name  to  distinguish  themselvei  as  the  opposers  of  religion; 
being  unwilling  to  be  considered  af/ie?5is  as  they  really  were; 
add  thinking  the  pretension  to  believe  in  a  God  would  give 
to  their  system  a  better  exteriour,  by  means  of  which  dis- 
simulation, they  could  charm  the  more  conscientious,  and 
lead  them  on  step  by  step  down  the  steep  of  ruin.  Never 
doubt,  kind  reader,  that  atheists  are  as  capable  of  era/fas 
any  of  the  friends  of  religion.  We  have  said  before  that  no 
luan  is  apt  to  remain  long  a  deist;  but  he  goes  on  down, 
down,  till  he  doubts  every  thing  and  believes  nothing.  An 
infidel  author  says,  "deism  is  but  the  first  step  of  reason 
out  of  superstition.  No  person  remains  a  deist,  but  through 
the  want  of  reflection,  timidity,  passion,  or  obstinacy."* — 
go  it  is — and  the  greatest  part  of  professed  deists  know  it. — 
The  deism  recently  attempted  to  be  established  in  Ameri- 
ca, by  a  powerful  but  infatuated  womaiif  was  perfect  atheism. 
It  boasted  of  its  twenty  thousand  proselytes  in  the  city  of 
New  York,  and  it  certainly  multiplied  its  converts  in  all 
parts  of  our  country  :  But  not  the  least  reformation  did  it 
ever  produce!  No — we  defy  contradiction,  when  we  say, 
that  no  one  person  was  aver  made  better  by  it !  Not  a  single 
drunkard,  blasphemer,  gambler,  or  worthless  brigand  was 

*Brhtan's  modern  Infidelity  portrayed,  p.  9. 


303  RKLlGIOi^  VINDICATED. 

ever  tur'ied  from  his  evil  habits  in  consequeoce  of  being 
brought  -jut  of  "superstition  into  the  Hght  of  nature,*'  to 
use  their  language !  This  is  fact !  Go  through  the  whole 
tieldofinfidehty — search  out  every  fragment  of  its  history, 
and  we  affirm  fearlessly  that  it  never  did  make  a  person 
better  under  "the  whole  canopy  of  heaven."  We  say  this 
not  from  any  malicious  feeling  towards  infidels,  but  from  a 
firm  conviction  of  its  truth  and  that  we  owe  it  to  the  best 
interests  of  the  world.  This  truth  is  full  of  solemn  import 
and  momentous  admonition.  What  parent  dares  teach 
his  child  to  be  an  infidel  ?  If  so,  when  he  sees  that  child 
plunging  down  the  abyss  of  moral  pollution,  can  he  find 
enough  of  moral  power  in  atheism  to  arrest  his  wild  and 
giddy  career,  and  save  him  from  destruction? 

3Iust  it  not  be  true,  that  a  system  which  never  did  and 
never  could  reform  a  single  person,  must  produce  the 
contrary  effect ;  and  mu5i  operate  against  morality — must 
cause  men  to  deteriorate  in  virtue,  and  go  down  to  unre- 
Btrained  iniquity?  This  objection  cannot  be  brought  to 
the  christian  religion;  for  its  whole  essense  is  moral  good- 
ness :  its  whole  effort  is  the  reformation  of  men — its  whole 
object  the  happiness  of  the  world — and  its  whole  light  the 
moral  consistency  and  glory  of  its  reforming  doctrines. 

So  far  do  moral  considerations  speak  out  for  the  necessi- 
ty of  Divine  revelation.  There  is  another  view  of  the  sub- 
ject which  will  further  evince  its  necessity.  It  is  drawn 
from  the  fact,  that 

"  Hope  springs  eternal  in  the  human  breast. 
Man  never  is.  but  always  to  be  blest." 

Without  a  revelation  man  has  no  evidence  of  a  future 
state.  And  how  unequal  are  the  fleeting  prospects  of 
worldly  bliss  to  support  the  mind  under  some  of  the  mis- 
fortunes of  this  life.  The  infidel  may  lull  himself  into  ease 
with  thoughts  of  an  "eternal  sleep,"  so  long  as  his  age  and 
worldly  advantages  are  bright  and  cheering.  But  even 
then  he  feels  not  exactly  right.     There  is  something  want- 


BKLIGIOK  VINi)lCATEP.  309 

ing — there  is  a  dark  gloom  before  him — ^he  must  reflect, 
and  his  reflections  must  be  on  the  dark  waste  of  dreary  an- 
nihilation !  He  feels  uneasy  !  It  is  because  he  seeks  rest 
where  the  God  of  nature  has  never  designed  him  to  rest. — 
He  may  resort  to  any  amusements  or  diversions  or  to  sen- 
sual and  criminal  pursuits  to  banish  unwelcome  thoughts 
from  his  mind;  but  yet  he  will  ever  look  around  upon  the 
darkness  that  envelopes  his  destiny  with  secret  agony.  He 
will  say  "I  believe  not  in  revelation.  I  am  not  so  foolish 
as  to  be  superstitious.  1  am  of  a  higher  and  nobler  spirit, 
and  must  despise  the  man,  who  knows  no  better  than  to  be 
a  christian.  Yet  I  wish  Christianity  wore  true.  I  would 
give  all  I  am  worth  to  have  it  so."  But  take  the  noble  and 
wise  deist,  who  knows  so  much  of  the  efficiency  of  nature 
and  the  superiour  joys  of  infidelity.  Let  him  lose  his  prop- 
erty. Bo  his  doubts  supply  the  loss?  Next  take  his  com- 
panion, his  children,  and  his  last  earthly  friend — where  now 
is  his  comfort?  His  broken  and  wounded  spirit  now  looks 
back  upon  life,  and  beholds  all  as  a  fleeting  dream — a  scene 
of  blasted  hopes — a  waste  of  darkness  and  sorrow,  with 
here  and  there  a  sunny  spot  to  make  the  gloom  the  more 
visible.  Can  he  now  throw  himself  on  the  future  an4  rest 
in  the  assurance  and  hope  of  deism  ?  Or  can  he  press  hia 
atheism  to  his  breast,  and  say  "welcome  blighted  hopes,, 
and  blasted  aspirations;  for  here  in  darkness,  death,  and 
annihilation,  my  joy  is  full  ?"  Or  let  him  be  thrown  iiporj 
the  sick  bed — let  his  physician  tell  him  his.  case  is  hopelesa 
.—-let  schorching  fevers  and  wracking  pains  burn  upoa  his 
nerves.  Can  he  smile  serene  to  gaze  then  upojpthe  beau- 
ties of  his  noble  doubts?  He  sees  his  little  ones  about  to 
be  left  to  the  cold  charitiesand  fearful  uncertainties  of  an 
unfriendly  world — he  sees  them  innocent,  artless,  and  ho 
must  leave  them  for  ever!  Can  he  recommend,  to  them 
the  strong  consolations  and  high  moral  restraints  of  infidel- 
ity ?  Can  he  cheer  and  comfort  them  with  the  doctrines  of 
*' eternal  sleep?"     Can  he  commend  them  to  the  protec- 


310 


RELIGIO.^  VI>'DICATED. 


tion  and  care  of  Chance,  and  lell  thein  that  they  are  to  be 
accountable  onl}'  to  their  fellow  beings  for  their  actions? 

While  the  prosperous  and  stoical  "unbeliever  feels  tolera- 
bly satisfied  at  limes,  and  uses  efforts  to  disseminate  his 
dreary  and  comfortless  doctrines,  little  does  he  think  of  the 
far  different  situation  of  thousands  of  his  fellow  beings. — 
Gould  he  survey  the  abodes  of  human  wretchedness  and 
wo — could  he  see  the  millions  that  have  no  worldly  sup- 
port and  no  hope  this  side  of  heaven,  he  would  then  realize 
the  necessity  of  that  gospel  which  alone  imparts  resigna- 
tion, joy,  and  triumph  to  the  afflicted,  the  miserable  and 
the  dying.  Could  he  go  to  the  poor  cottage,  and  see  the 
lonely  and  neglected  and  toil  worn  subjects  o-f  penury  and 
want;  and  see  the  bright  gleam  of  joy  light  upon  their 
countenances  as  they  knelt  at  the  morning  and  evening  al- 
tar; and  hear  them  thank  their  heavenly  Father  for  the 
unbounded  riches  of  that  glorious  world,  where  trial  and 
grief  shall  be  no  more — could  he  do  this  I  say,  and  tell 
them  that  all  their  joys  were  unsubstantial  dreams! 

Could  he  walk  the  lonely  retreat,  and^ccidentally  behold 
the  kneeling  mother;  and  hear  her  call  on  God,  in  a  trans- 
port of  faith,  to  save  her  son  from  the  gambler's  fate  or  the 
drunkard's  end,  and  could  he  still  be  an  infidel  ? 

Could  he  go  to  the  chamber  of  sickness  and  pain,  and 
see  a  fellow  being  in  the  closing  scene  of  mortal  life — could 
he  see  the  features  of  the  dymg  lighted  up  with  the  ante- 
date of  eternity,  and  hear  the  lips  exclaim,  "I  long  to  go 
and  be  with  Jesus,"  could  he — O  could  he  break  this  heav- 
enly calm!  Could  he  breathe  the  withering  clouds  of 
darkness  and  doubt  upon  this  morning  of  heaven!  CoiiM 
he  snatch  the  aspiring  and  joyous  spirit  from  the  portals  of 
immortality,  and  blast  it  with  doubts  darker  than  the  pall 
that  covers  the  dead.  Could  he  here  in  the  the  solemn 
presence  of  denth,  array  his  light  of  nature  against  the  ma- 
jesty and  glory  and  power  of  the  christian  hope! — No — 
he  could  not — the  attempt  would  {reei,e  his  nerves,  and 


RELIGION  ri.^DICATED.  311 

blast  him  as  a  demon-  Hero  the  invisible  power  of  the 
Deity  will  hold  the  mind;  and  nature  herself  will  plead  for 
religion.  Here  infidelity  drops  off  its  tinseled  mask,  and' 
shrinks  and  trembles,  abashed  and  ashamed,  at  the  unfold- 
ing grandeur  and  power  of  christian  truth.  Is  not  that  re- 
ligion then  which  always  makes  its  true  followers  good,  vir- 
tuous and  happy;  which  imparts  hope  and  joy  and  bliss  to 
every  period  of  life  and  death;  which  has  so  improved  our 
social  and  moral  ccbdition  ;  which  alone  can  promote 
these  objects  ;  is  it  not  necessary  to  men  ?  All  must  answer 
yes.  That  God  then  who  has  given  us  eyes,  ears,  tastes, 
smells,  speech,  teeth,  hands,  feet,  mind,  air,  earth,  light, 
timber,  water,  harvests,  and  every  thing  else  necessary  for 
us,  has  also  given  this  great  essential  moral  blessing.  Yes 
it  is  so.  God  has  given  it  us;  but  like  many  other  bless- 
ings of  his  providence,  we  have  powerto  improve  or  neglect 
it,  and  our  happiness  or  misery  will  be  accordingly. 

VI.  The  origin  of  Christianity.  True  unless  Jesus  ivas  an 
impostor. — As  we  do  not  expect  to  attempt  a  detailed  view 
of  the  evidences  of  the  divine  revelation.,  of  the  Bible,  we 
shall  now  pass  over  to  notice  some  of  the  points  in  evidence 
of  the  New  Testament  or  chi-istianity.  It  will  be  sufficient 
for  oar  purpose  to  inquire,  whether  Christ  did  exist,  and 
did  perform  the  miracles  ascribed  to  him ;  and  was  cruci- 
fied; and  did  rise  again  from  the  dead. 

1.  We  all  know  that  a  system  of  religion,  called  Christi- 
anity, does  now  exist;  and  that  it  is  contained  in  certain 
books  called  the  New  Testament.  That  these  books,  teach 
the  precepts,  doctrines,  miracles,  death,  and  resurrection 
of  one  JESUS,  to  whom  the  system  is  attributed  as  its  au- 
thor. That  according  to  this  book,  this  Jesus  was  born  in 
Bethlehem  of  Judea,  in  the  reign  of  Herod  the  King.  That 
this  is  the  christian  era  from  which  we  reckon  the  years. 

Now  as  these  are  facts,  it  is  manifest,  that  this  religion 
must  have  been  founded  and  commenced  at  the  time  pre- 
tended, or  at  some  later  period, 


312  BELIGiOK  VIJfMCATED. 

But  could  it  hare  commenced  since  that  period  ? — 
Could  any  impostor  or  number  of  impostors  have  fabrica- 
ted those  books,  and  made  the  people  believe,  that  they 
had  existed  ever  since  their  pretended  origin  ;  that  there 
had  been  multitudes  of  Christians  when  there  had  been 
none  ;  that  there  were  monuments  and  evidences  of  the  for- 
mer existence  of  Christianity,  when  it  had  not  existed  be- 
fore ?  No.  Besides,  these  books  say  hard  things  of  the 
Jews;  they  speak  of  their  crimes,  and  accuse  them  of 
murdering  the  innocent  Jesus.  Now  if  these  books  had 
been  fabricated  since  the  time  we  suppose  them  to  have 
been  written,  these  Jews  would  have  said  at  once,  that  this 
was  a  new  thing ;  that  they  had  never  heard  of  it  before,  and 
that  their  nation  had  never  before  been  accused  of  such 
crimes.  But  no  such  thing  is  pretended  by  any  of  the 
Jewish  writers.  Although  they  reject  the  resurrection  of 
Chiist,  they  never  denied  that  he  existed  at  the  time  pre- 
tended ;  and  that  the  apostles  existed  and  wrote  the  books 
as  pretended  by  christians.  Besides,  if  any  such  fabrica- 
tion as  the  christian  religion  had  sprung  up  new,  since  the 
time  it  is  said  to  have  originated,  the  infidel  writers  of  the 
age  when  it  sprung  up,  would  certainly  have  exposed  the 
imposition.  But  so  far  from  this  the  early  writers  against 
Christianity  all  adviit  that  Jesus  did  exist  at  that  lime,  and 
that  the  books  ascribed  to  the  apostles  were  written  by  them 
at  the  time  alluded  to. 

Pontius  Pilate^  who  governed  in  Judea,  and  gave  up  Je- 
sus to  be  crucified,  sent  an  account  of  the  miracles,  death 
and  resurrection  of  Jesus,  to- the  Roman  emperor;  as  it 
was  customary  for  the  governoursr  6i  provinces  to  send  to 
the  emperors  accounts  of  remarkable  events,  which  were 
kept  in  the  archieves  of  the  government.  So  Eusebius 
gays  '*  our  Saviour's  resurrection  being  much  talked  of 
throughout  Palestine,  Pilate  informed  the  emperor  of  it,  as 
likewise  of  his  miracles,  of  which  he  heard."  These  re- 
cords, made  by  the  governour,  or  Roman  senate,  and  left 


RELItilOiX   VINDICATKD.  313 

in  the  archives  of  the  empire  for  the  benefit  of  historians, 
were  called  "  Acts.'^  And  Justin  Martyr,  A.  D.  140,  allu- 
ding to  the  events  of  Christ,  says,  "and  that  these  things 
were  so  done  you  may  know  from  the  Acts  made  in  the  time 
of  Pontius  Pilate."  This  was  in  an  address  to  the  Roman 
emperor  and  senate  ;  and  if  no  such  acts  were  there  left  by 
Pilate,  of  course  he  might  have  been  detected.  Afterwards 
in  the  same  address,  he  speaks  of  Christ's  heahng  the  sick, 
raising  the  dead,  &c.  and  adds, — "And  that  these  things 
were  done  by  him,  you  may  know  from  the  Acts  made  in 
the  time  of  Pontius  Pilate."  Turtullian,  A.  D.  200,  speaks 
of  the  death,  resurrection,  and  appearance  of  Christ  after- 
wards to  his  disciples,  and  adds,  "  of  all  these  things  rela- 
ting to  Christ,  Pilate  himyelf  sent  an  account  to  Tiberius, 
then  emperor." 

Josephus  plainly  speaks  of  Christ  and  the  introduction 
of  his  religion.  Suetonius,  a  Roman  historian  of  A.  D. 
IIG,  speaks  of  Christ.  Also  Tacitus,  speaking  of  the 
christians  in  A.  D.  64,  says,  "the  author  of  that  sect  is 
Christ,  who  in  the  reign  of  Tiberius  was  punished  with 
death,  as  a  criminal,  by  the  procurator  Pontius  Pilate." 

Pliny,  in  A.  D.  107  also  speaks  of  Christ,  as  well  as  M\i- 
us  Lampridius.  And  Tacitus  and  others  declare  that  Nero 
fired  the  city  of  Rome  only  about  30  years  after  the  time 
of  Christ's  death,  and  laid  the  act  to  the  christians.  Of 
course  christians  must  have  existed  at  that  time.  Now  we 
ask,  who  could  have  imposed  upon  christians  since  that 
time  with  the  New  Testament ;  and  made  them  believe  that 
they  had  always  had  the  New  Testament;  and  had  always 
revered  it  as  the  writings  of  Christ's  immediate  disciples,  if 
it  were  not  so  1  But  we  might  show  that  writers  have  quo- 
ted from  the  New  Testament  in  every  age  since  the  chris- 
tian era,  which  nhows  that  they  did  come  into  being  at  the 
time  fixed  for  them. 

Celsus  was  a  strong  and  bitter  enemy  to  Christianity,  who 

wrote  about  150  veai-a   after  Christ,     Yet  he  admits  that 

27 


314  ftEI>I<»iO?1   riTiDlGAinV. 

Christ  liTcd  «t  the  timo  preiciuled.  Ha  adrnite  that  Jesus 
did  all  the  things  mentioned  of  him  in  the  Evangelists  ;  but 
he  triinks  he  must  have  done  them  by  the  magicJc  art. — 
Now  we  can  judge  whether  the  etupendou?  works  ascribed 
to  our  Saviour,  could  be  done  by  the  artifices  of  Egyptian 
legerdemain,  as  well  as  the  historian.  The  infidel  hi:5toriaD 
gives  us  the  facts  ;  and  we  are  left  to  draw  the  inferences 
for  ourselves. 

Porphery,  of  the  third  century,  another  learned  opponent 
of  the  christian  religion,  makes  the  same  concessions  with 
the  same  conclusions,  and 

Julian,  a  learned  Roman  emperor  of  the  fourth  century, 
wrote  a  work  with  the  sole  view  to  put  down  Christianity. 
He  was  one  of  the  most  deadly  enemies  of  this  religion  that 
ever  lived.  But  he  admits  that  Christ  lived  at  the  time 
referred  to.  That  the  Testament  was  written  at  the  time, 
and  by  the  men  to  which  it  is  ascribed.  He  too  admits 
that  Christ  did  walk  on  the  surface  of  the  sea  ;  that  he  did 
cast  out  evil  spirits ;  and  did  do  in  reality  the  things  impu- 
ted to  him  in  the  Evangelists  :  but  like  others,  he  thought 
these  works  could  not  prove  the  truth  of  his  religion.  Of 
this  matter,  however,  all  men  in  all  ages  have  the  privilege 
of  judging. 

Mahomet  himself  acknowledges  the  existence  of  Christ 
and  the  apostles  and  their  miracles.  And  finally  it  may  bt 
affirmed,  that  as  no  historical  facts  have  ever  been  so  im- 
portant as  those  which  lay  at  the  foundation  of  the  chri.s- 
tian  religion  ;  and  none  have  been  assailed  with  so  much 
ingenuity  and  human  effort ;  so  none  have  come  down  to 
posterity  with  so  much  certainty  and  indisputable,  over- 
whelming evidence.  The  things  recorded  of  Cyrus,  Alex- 
ander, or  Julius  Caesar  are  not  half  as  well  authenticated 
as  the  things  recorded  of  Christ.  Both  Jews  and  Infidels, 
having  been  combined  in  every  age  to  either  get  rid  of  the 
facts,  or  to  destroy  their  evidence,  have  only  co-operated  in 
handing  down  to  posterity,    those  indisputable  truths  oa 


RSiiioiorf  ixciDHiAvao.  315 

which  christiau*  rely  for  support,  with  clear,  pure  and  coa- 
viuciiig  energy. 

2.  JESUS  CHRIST  must  have  been  a  toilful  impostor 
and  deceiver,  or  his  viiraclts  were  real  and  his  religion  true. 

We  have  seeu  that  all  the  early  philosophers  that  wrots 
agaiust  his  religion  admit  that  he  ditl  foretell  his  death  and 
resurrection,  and  did  appear  to  work  miracles  to  evince  his 
<iivine  authority.  Were  we  to  go  into  an  examination  of  hi» 
miracles,  we  should  find  tJiem  of  such  a  kind  that  he  could 
not  possibly  have  appeared  to  perform  them,  unless  lie  actu- 
ally did  perform  them.  There  id  no  resemblance  between 
the  miracles  of  Christ,  and  the  exorcisms  of  the  Egyptian 
magi,  whose  conjurations  have  been  absurdly  compared  with 
the  oper.,  palpable,  and  splendid  works  cf  the  Savioui". 

But  it  is  impossible  that  so  gooii  a  person,  as  Jesus  i« 
admitted  to  have  been,  could  have  imposed  on  the  world 
a  system  of  falsehood.  It  is  universally  admitted  that  b« 
sought  no  worldly  riches  or  honours,  and  that  he  died  in 
vindication  of  his  principles.  Is  this  the  character  of  an 
impostor? 

AH  riae  distinguished  infidel  writers  have  borne  the  slron- 
.'est  testimony  to  the  pure  and  exalted  character  of  Jesus  ; 
and  have  thus  confuted  the  supposition  of  his  imposture, 
while  they  have  plainly  insinuated  that  nothing  but  the  ex- 
traordinary and  stupendous  nature  of  his  religion  prevents 
their  accepting  it.  We  will  only  give  the  inin)itable  des- 
cription of  the  infidel  Rousseau,  that  our  readers  may  see 
what  a  kind  of  an  impostor  the  most  enlightened  infidels 
liuppose  Christ  to  have  been. 

"  I  will  confess  that  the  majesty  of  the  scriptures  strikes 
lie  with  admiration,  as  the  purity  of  the  gospel  has  its  in- 
fluence on  my  heart.  Peruse  the  works  of  our  Philoso- 
{)hers,  with  all  their  pomp  of  diction  ;  how  mean,  how  con- 
temptible are  they,  compared  with  tho  scriptures!  Is  it 
r)0S3ibl8  thata  book,  at  once  50  simple  and  sublime,  should 
e  merely  the  work  of  niaa  ?     I«  it  posiible  th«t  the  sacred 


316  RELIGIO:^   VINDICATED. 

personage  whose  history    it  contains  should  be  himself  n 
mere  man  ?     Do  we  find   that   he  assumed   the  tone  of  an 
enthusiast  or  ambitious  sectary  ?     What  sweetness,  what 
purity  in  his  manners  I     What  an  affecting  gracefulness  in 
his  delivery  I      What  subhmity    in  his.  maxims!     What 
profound  wisdom   in    his   discourses !     What  presence  of 
mind  in  his  replies  !     How   great   the  command   over  his 
passions  !     Where  is  the  man,  where  the  philosopher,  who 
could  so  live  and  so    die,  without   weakness,   and  without 
ostentation  ?     When  Plato  described  his  imaginary  good 
man,  with  all  the  shame  of  gui't,  yet  meriting  the  highest 
rewards  of  virtue,  he    describes   exactly  the    character  of 
Jesus  Christ.     What  prepossession,  what  blindness  must 
it  be  to  compare   (Socrates)  the  son   of  Sophroniscus  to 
(Jesus)  the  son  of  Mary  I     Wliat  an  infinite  disproportion  is 
there  between  them  !     Socrates,  dying  without  pain  or  ig- 
nominy, easily  supported  his  character  to  the  last ;    and  if 
his  death,  however  easy,  had  not  crowned  his  life,  it  might 
have  been  doubted  whether  Socrates,  with  all  his  wisdom, 
was  any  thing  more  than  a  vain  soi)hist.     He  invented,  it  is 
said,  the  theory  of  morals,  others,  however,  had  before  put 
fhem  in  practice  ;  he  had  only  to  say^  therefore,  what  they 
had  done,  and  to  reduce  their  examples  to  precept.     But 
where  could  Jesus  learn  among  his  competitors,  that  pure 
and  sublime  morality,  of  which  he  only  has  given  us  both 
precept  and  example  ?     The  death  of  Socrates,  peaceably 
philosophising  with  his  friends,  appears  the  most  agreeable 
that  could  be    wished  for ;  that   of  Jesus   expiring  in  the 
midst  of  agonizing  pains,  abused,  insulted,  and  accused  by 
a  whole  nation,  is  the  most  horrible  that  could  be  feared. — 
Socrates,  in  receiving  the  cup  of  poison,  blessed  the  weep- 
ing executioner   who   administered   it ;  but   Jesus,  in  the 
midst  of  excruciating  tortures,  prayed  for  his  merciless  tor- 
Mientorsi   ,Yes!     If  the  life  and   death  of  Socrates  were 
those  of  a  sage,  the  life  and  death  of  Jesus  were  those  of  jv 
God.     Shall  we  suppose  the  evangelick  history  a  mere  fie- 


tiou  ?  Indeed,  mj  friend,  tt  bear*  nc*  the  mark  of  riciion  ; 
on  the  contrary,  the  history  of  Socrates,  which  nobody 
presumes  to  doubt,  is  not  8o  well  attested  as  that  of  Jesus 
Christ.  Such  a  supposition,  in  fact,  only  shifts  the  difficul- 
ty, whhout  obviating  it.  It  is  more  inconceivable  that  a 
number  of  persons  should  agree  to  write  such  a  history, 
than  that  one  only  should  furnish  the  subject  of  it.  The 
Jewish  authors  were  incapable  of  the  diction  and  strangers 
to  the  morality  contained  in  the  gospel,  the  marks  of  whose 
truth  are  so  striking  and  inimitable,  that  the  inventor  would 
be  a  more  astonishing  character  than  the  hero." 

Such  is  the  testimony   of  the  enemies  of  Christ !     Yet 
the  same  splendid  writer  says,  "  /  cannot  believe  the  gospel,'^ 
How  far  above   all  praise — how  resplendant  and   glorious 
must  be  that  character,   which   extorts  such  testimonials 
from  his  enemies  I     Here  then  is  the  issue.     We  must  be- 
lieve, that  such  a  person  spent  his  whole  life  in  a  splendid 
career  of  deception,  practicing  the  low  arts  of  a  juggler, 
and  palming  a  tissue  of  falsehoods  upon  his  countrymen, 
with  no  earthly  object  but  to  bring    down  the  vengeance 
of  an  infuriated  priesthood  and  cruel  unthinking  rabble,  to 
take  his  life,   and  cover  his  memory  with  disgrace,  or  we 
r/iusf  believe  that  Jesus  is  divine,  and  his  religion  is  from 
heaven.     But  another  difficulty  will  arise,  if  we  still  say  so 
pure  a  person  was  an  impostor  ;  we  must  then  believe  that 
he  not  only  deceived  the  people   ih  every  attempt  to  per- 
form his  wonderful  works  ;  but  that  he  possessed  a  power 
to  deceive  that  no  mortal  man  ever  possessed  before.     That 
he  did  it  before  his  enemies,  so  publickly  that  they  acknowl- 
edged his  superhuman  power;  and  they  could  only  account 
for  it,  by  attributing  it  to  demoniacal   agency.     And  we 
must  not  only  believe  this,   but  we   must  believe  he  also 
succeeded  in  making  the  most   indisputable    evidence  ap- 
pear after  he  was  dead,  that   he  had  risen  again  as  he  had 
foretold  I     For  a  mortal  man  to  work  miracles,  or  even  to 
deceive  mankind  after  be  is  dead,  would  be,  we  think,  a« 


318  RELIGIO.V  VI.NDICATKD. 

great  a  miracle  as  any  ascribed  to  Jesus  Christ,  We  have 
now  proved  from  infidels  themselves  that  Christ  did  exist 
at  the  time,  and  did  appear  at  least  to  perform  the  miracle* 
ascribed  to  him.  We  have  also  proved  from  them  that  he 
was  too  good  to  deceive.  And  finally  to  deceive  as  he 
must  have  done,  if  his  miracles  were  not  real,  would  have 
required  all  the  power  that  christians  have  attributed  to 
bim.  The  conclusion  is  irresistable  that  "  Jesus  was  the 
son  of  God." 

VI.  Proofs  of  christianit)/  from  the  immediate  disciples 
of  Christ. — We  have  proved  beyond  all  cavil,  that  Christi- 
anity originated  at  the  time  alleged  ;  and  thai  Jesus  did  ap- 
pear to  work  miracles.  That  he  was  too  good  to  be  an  im- 
postor ;  and  that  his  miracles  were  generally  such  as  could 
not  admit  of  deceptivo  appearances.  But  however  conclu- 
sive this  reasoning  may  be,  we  will  farther  consider  the  ar- 
gument in  reference  to  the  apostles. 

1.  Either  the  writers  of  the  Neic  Testament  ivere  themselves 
deceived :  or 

2.  They  knoicingli/  deceived  others ;  or 

3.  They  were  true  imtnesses,  and  their  testimony  is  true. 

1.  Were  the  writers  of  the  Christian  Scriptures  them- 
selves deceived  ?  This  was  impossible.  Most  of  them  liv- 
ed in  the  place  where  the  events  happened,  and  were  con- 
temporary with  the  events  which  they  record.  They  pro- 
fess to  have  seen  Christ:  to  have  heard  his  sayings,  which 
they  record,  from  his  own  mouth;  to  have  seen  his  mira- 
cles, the  healing  of  the  sick,  and  raising  of  the  dead  ;  to 
have  seen  him  after  his  resurrection  from  the  dead  at  dif- 
ferent times.  Many  of  these  events  were  of  such  a  nature 
that  they  could  not  have  been  deceived  about  them.  For 
instance,  the  feeding  of  the  multitude  of  many  thousands  ; 
the  giving  sight  to  those  who  had  been  born  blind  ;  the 
raising  of  the  dead,  especially  one  that  had  been  four  days 
in  the  grave.  All  his  miracles  were  done  openly,  not  in 
presence  of  a  few  chosen    persons,  who  might  have  been 


RELIGION  VlxNDICATKD.  810 

j:oaLljuior;>  in  deceiving  the  writers,  but  in  day  light,  in  pres- 
Cijce  of  multitudes  of  behevers  and  unbehevers,  friends  and 
enemies.  Could  they  have  been  deceived  ?  Could  they 
liave  been  imposed  upon  so  much  as  to  believe  that  all 
these  things  occurred  before  their  own  eyes  and  in  their 
own  ears,  if  they  did  not  occur  at  all  ?  Especially  could 
they  have  thought,  that  there  v/as  an  earthquake  at  the 
death  of  Christ,  and  darkness  over  the  land  for  a  number 
of  hours  ?  And  that  they  saw  and  conversed  with  him 
frequently  after  his  resurrection,  if  none  of  these  things 
were  done  ?  In  order  to  believe  this,  we  must  believe  that 
the  writers  of  the  New  Testament  were  perfectly  destitute 
of  common  sense,  and  totally  incapable  of  writing  the  books 
which  they  did  write  :  which  would  prove  that  the  Holy 
Ghost  not  only  superintended,  but  actually  dictated  every 
vv'ord  !  And  that  Jesus  was  capable  of  using  the  most  con- 
summate deception  after  he  was  dead  without  a  resurrec- 
tion !  Will  infidels  believe  in  such  miraciilovs  things  ?  No. 
It  will  not  be  contended  that  the  writers  were  deceived;  we 
will  then  inquire, 

2.  Did  they  knowingly  deceive  others?  On  this  answer 
must  depend  the  whole  question.  1.  Were  their  charac- 
ters such  as  deceivers  and  impostors  usually  sustain  ?  No. 
For  their  s^oGd  characters  are  susceptible  of  the  most  indu- 
bitable proof.  Look  at  the  moral  principles  contained  in 
their  writings.  What  other  object  can  be  discovered  in 
them,  but  to  recommend  a  high,  a  pure,  and  a:i  exalted 
morality  to  men,  and  to  persiuide  all  men  to  practice  holi- 
ness ?  They  seem  to  forget  themselves  and  their  own  in- 
terests; and  thus  every  where  plead  with  men  to  reform. 
They  urge,  they  admonish,  they  appeal  to  reason,  to  hu- 
manity, to  all  that  is  lovely  and  good,  to  all  the  serious 
and  solemn  considerations  that  can  move  the  human  heart. 
Is  it  not  reasonable  to  suppose  that  men,  always  endeavour- 
ing and  labouring  to  do  good,  are  in  rea'ity  good  men. 
Who  can  read  the  sinjple   unadorned  writings  of  the  New 


S20  HELISIO-N   VIWDICATEC. 

Testament,  nud  not  bo  made  to  feel  that  the  writeis  were 
devoted  heart  and  soul  to  all  tliat  is  good  2^  it  is;  admitted 
by  the  most  learned  philosophers  and  opponents  of  Chris- 
tianity, that  the  gospel  contains  the  most  clear  and  indubi- 
table marks  of  fervid  and  zealous  devotion  to  pure  morals 
of  any  book  ever  published.     But 

2.  We  have  other  testimony  to  their  good  character  be- 
sides the  internal  evidence  furnished  in  their  writings.  We 
might  name  a  host  of  men  who  testified  to  the  good  char- 
acter of  the  apostles,  and  who  passed  through  "  much  trib- 
ulation" and  death  itself  in  defence  of  them  in  the  early 
ages;  but  infidels  will  not  confide  in  their  testimony. — 
We,  therefore,  adduce  the  names  of  infidels  themselves 
wlio  wrote  against  Christianity  for  four  hundred  years  from 
its  rise. 

Tacitus  was  contemporary  with  Christ ;  and  in  his  his- 
tory of  Rome,  admits  tliat  multitudes  of  christians  existed 
when  Nero  burned  the  city  and  alleged  it  to  the  christians 
as  a  pretext  for  the  cruel  and  vindictive  persecutions  with 
which  he  pursiied  them,  but  he  admits  that  •'  they  were 
destroyed  not  out  of  regard  to  the  publick  welfare,  but  only 
to  gratify  the  cruelty  of  one  man."  The  accounts  of  the 
Neronian  persecution  and  of  the  innocence  of  the  chris- 
tians are  confirmed  by  Sueloniu/^^  Martial  and  Juvenal,  who 
also  describe  their  coat  of  pitch  in  which  christians  were 
burnt.  They  were  fastener]  up  to  a  stake,  covered  with  a 
coat,  uf^n  the  inside  of  which  v/as  a  plaster  of  sulphurous 
pitch ;  and  when  burning  the  whole  body  would  seem  to 
send  up  a  column  of  dense  flame,  and  a  stream  of  blood 
and  melted  sulphur  would  flow  on  the  ground.  Such  were 
the  cruelties  inflicted  by  infidels  on  christians  in  the  first 
ages  of  Christianity  ;  and  such  were  the  earthly  motives  to 
induce  multitudes  to  embrace  the  cross  of  Christ.  Pliny, 
an  officer  under  the  Roman  emperor  Trajan,  wrote  to  his 
master  on  the  cruelties  he  had  inflicted  on  the  christians 
(in  the  first  century)  and  acknowledges  that  '-  the  whole  of 


RELIGION    VINDICATED.  321 

their  fault  or  errour  lay  in  this,  they  were  wont  to  meet 
together,  on  a  stated  day,  before  it  was  hght  and  sing 
among  themselves,  alternately,  a  hymn  to  Christ  as  God; 
and  bind  themselves  by  an  oath,  not  to  the  commission  of 
any  wickedness,  but  not  to  be  guilty  of  [theft,  robbery,  or 
adultery.^' 

Celsus,  Lucian,  Epictetus,  Porfhery,  Galen,  and  Julian, 
all  early  and  powerful  opponents  of  Christianity,  yet  they 
all  admit  the  principal  facts  on  which  this  religion  is  found- 
ed. They  even  admit  the  miracles  of  the  apostles,  but 
think  they  must  have  been  performed  by  the  magick  art. 
While  they  all  bear  ample  testimony  to  the  high  moral 
character  of  the  apostles,  as  well  as  of  the  early  christians 
generally  ;  that  "  they  entertained  peculiarly  strong  hopes 
of  immortal  lit'e,  and  great  contempt  for  this  world  and  its 
enjoyments  ;  and  that  they  courageously  endured  many  af- 
flictions on  account  of  their  principles,  and  sometimes  sur- 
rendered themselves  to  sufferings.  Honesty  and  yrobity 
prevailed  so  nuich  among  them,  that  they  trusted  each 
other  without  security.  Their  master  had  earnestly  re- 
con)mended  to  alibis  followers,  mutual  love,  by  which  also 
they  were  much  distinguished."  Yet  these  njen  would 
believe  that  such  men  o(  honesty,  probity,  contempt  of  world- 
ly enjoyments,  and  of  death  ;  who  willingly  suifered  for 
their  principles,  and  hoped  stsongly  for  inmiortality,  wero 
after  all  deceivers  and  iujpostors,  who  lied  about  the  resur- 
rection of  Christ,  and  practiced  jugglery  to  deceive  men  ! ! ! 
Such  was  the  consistency  of  early  infidels, 

3.  But  if  the  writers  of  the  New  Testament  were  deceiv- 
ers, and  designedly  propagated  a  falsehood,  what  motive 
could  they  have  had  in  it?  On  this  supposition,  they 
could  not  have  been  actuated  by  a  sense  of  duty,  and  the 
prospect  of  a  heavenly  crown  beyond  this  vale  of  tears. — 
One  said  "if  in  this  life  only  we  have  hope  in  Christ,  we 
are  of  all  men  most  miserable." — Cor.  xv.  19.  If  they 
knew  their  testimfwiv  was  false,  thev  could   not  have  been 


^22  RKL10105  rt.vniCArfiD. 

Tictuated  by  anj  hope  of  future  reward,  nor  by  that  beuev- 
olent  temper  of  mind,  which  breathes  out  in  all  their  ac- 
tions ;  nor  by  that  love  of  truth,  which  stands  out  so  prom- 
inently in  all  their  writings.  And  had  they  any  worldly 
motives  ?  Was  there  any  priestcraft  about  them  ?  They 
Td'e  admitted  to  have  held  all  worldly  possessions  and  en- 
joyments in  utter  contempt.  If  their  natural  wants  were 
supplied,  they  were  thankful ;  if  n/)t,  they  were  content  to 
«uHer  for  the  sake  of  Christ.  They  could  not  be  acting  in 
hopes  of  the  honours  that  afrerages  would  heap  upon  theiv 
memories;  for  if  they  were  only  teaching  falsehood  against 
all  law  and  all  publick  opinion,  as  well  as  against  the  stron- 
v;est  propensities  of  men,  they  could  not  have  anticipated 
the  success  and  glorious  triumphs  that  have  attended  and 
crowned  their  labours.  No.  Infidels  have  never  been  able 
to  assign  them  a  motive  for  their  deception.  They  could 
have  had  no  motives.  They  existed  with  Christ.  They 
fmeiv  whether  his  religion  was  from  heaven  or  not.  They 
knew  whether  he  had  risen  from  the  dead,  or  whether  they 
had  stolen  and  concealed  his  body.  They  sustained  an 
exalted  moral  charact.'^r.  They  were  not  charmed  with 
splendid  worldly  prospects  that  fired  their  ambition.  But 
publick  contempt,  the  scorn  of  men,  the  wrath  of  every  gov- 
ernment on  earth,  the  vengeance  of  a  bigoted  priesthood, 
and  their  inilamed  and  excited  follower-j  were  in  full  view 
before  them.  Jesus  had  told  them  that  all  these  things 
would  come  upon  them.  They  saw  the  dangers  and  per- 
il? before  them.  They  saw  the  arms  of  the  univer;-e  against 
them.  They  saw  the  universal  fires  of  cruel  and  heart 
rending  persecution  through  which  they  must  follow  their 
master,  and  in  which  they  must  expire.  Yet  they  did  not 
shrink  I  They  smiled  on  faggots  and  chains,  and  moveti 
on  triumphant  in  suflering;  and  died  rejoicing  that  they 
were  accounted  worthy  to  die  for  him  they  loved.  Did 
they  know  that  he  was  an  impostor — snd  thai  they  bad  hid 
his  body  ?     Look  upon  Petw.     When  he  saw  hi«  Lord 


RELieiON   YINDICATEB.  323 

bleeding  in  tha  hands  of  his  enemies,  he  lost  all  his  faith  in 
him  ;  and  like  a  cowardly  wretch,  he  slunk  away,  and  de- 
nied that  he  had  any  connexion  with  him,  but  when  he 
comes  forward  to  announce  his  resurrection,  he  is  no  lon- 
ger the  same  faithless  cowardly  man.  He  no  longer  feels 
ashamed  of  his  master,  nor  fears  the  frowns  or  vengeance 
of  his  countrymen.  He  comes  out  in  the  very  panoply  of 
heaven,  vs  if  conscious  of  being  sustained  by  the  omnipo- 
tence of  God  ;  and  boldly  tells  the  Jews  that  Jesus  Christ, 
whom  they  murdered,  had  risen  from  the  dead  ;  and  called 
on  them  to  repent.  Peter  never  trembled  again.  Neither 
men  nor  devils,  nor  burning  torments  had  any  power  to 
shake  his  heaven  directed  soul,  or  cool  the  unquenchable 
fervour,  with  which  he  unfurled  the  banner  of  his  risen 
Lord.  Was  he  an  impostor  ?  Is  it  in  the  power  of  an  un- 
lisen  man,  to  transform  a  shrinking,  ignorant  coward  from 
despair,  to  a  hero  that  regards  not  the  world,  and  pours  his 
torrents  of  more  than  mortal  eloquence  upon  the  listening 
multitudes,  which  floats  away  prejudice  and  wrath  in  its 
mighty  inspiration,  and  brings  happy  thousands  to  bow  to 
his  sceptre  ?  Are  such  men  as  Peter  r^as  very  likely  to 
rise  up,  and  propagate  a  falsehood,  amidst  smoke  and  fire 
and  death,  without  an  earthly  object  ? 

Look  at  Saul  of  Tarsus.  Was  he  a  deceiver?  What 
had  he  to  gain  by  such  a  deception?  Nothing — yet  he 
had  every  thing  to  lose.  He  was  learned  and  popular  ; 
and  his  country  offered  him  every  inducement  to  avarice, 
or  ambition,  or  pleasure.  He  was  i)rejudiced  too  against 
the  religion  of  Jesus.  When  on  a  sudden  he  turned  around. 
He  could  not  have  been  deceived  himself;  for  he  says  he 
5aw  a  light,  and  heard  a  voice  and  understood  the  words  ; 
and  that  Jesus  appeared  to  him  last  of  all,  and  instructed 
him  in  his  ministry.  All  this  was  true  or  he  v»^as  an  im- 
postor. But  does  he  write  like  an  impostor  ?  We  might 
say,  he  teaches  nothing  but  goodness.  Why  did  he  turn 
from  all  the  world  admires,  and  all  that  chtrms  and  dazzles 


32-i  RiiLIGIOX   VINDICATED. 

human  atnbiaon  or  cupidity,  to  an  unpopular,  poor,  and 
despised  impostor?  \Vhy  did  he  leave  every  dear  ob- 
ject behind,  and  go,  despised,  reviled,  and  persecuted  from 
city  to  city  and  land  to  land  ;  every  where  proclaiming  Je- 
sus and  the  resurrection  ;  every  where  bleeding  and  suffer- 
ing, enduring  stripes,  imprisonments,  and  perils,  that  he 
might  bear  the  gospel  to  unthankful  Gentiles  ?  Did  he 
thus  propagate  a  falsehood,  which  he  had  himself  despised, 
for  the  poor  privilege  of  living  in  jeopardy — an  outcast  in 
the  world,  and  a  martyr  in  death  ?  There  is  a  bold,  unti- 
ring fortitude,  an  unyielding  contempt  of  danger  and  death 
and  all  selfish  considerations,  which  forbid  the  supposition 
of  imposture,  in  the  acts  of  this  great  apostle,  as  well  as  in 
the  lives  of  all  the  disciples.  Not  one  of  them  ever  turned 
back,  and  attempted  to  expose  any  imposition  of  the  frater- 
nity, after  Jesus  had  risen.  Not  one  of  them  ever  shrunk 
from  persecution  or  death  ;  for  life  and  death,  and  ail  world- 
ly things  were  wrapped  up  in  their  high  and  supreme  de- 
votion to  the  great  Captain,  who  had  despoiled  the  "  king 
of  terrours"  of  his  triumphs,  disenthroned  him  in  the  field 
of  his  trophies,  and  opened  the  glorious  vestibule  to  im- 
mortality. There  is  something  in  the  career  and  character 
of  the  apostles,  on  which  the  pious  imagination  lingers 
with  sweet  and  delightful  feeling.  All  that  is  admirable  in 
patience,  wonderful  in  fortitude,  amiable  in  meekness,  as- 
tonishing in  self-denial,  firm  in  principle,  and  ardent  in  de- 
votion to  the  publick  weal,  was  theirs.  Jesus  at  the  head 
of  his  immediate  followers,  exhibits  a  band  of  actors  upon 
the  moral  theatre  of  the  world,  perfect  and  bright,  beyond 
all  comparison.  A  moral  grandeur  is  exhibited  in  them 
that  overawes  while  it  delights  the  heart,  and  commends 
the  religion  of  Jesus  to  the  latest  ages  of  the  world.  Rea- 
ders-can you  despise  that  Saviour  and  those  apostles,  who 
spread  the  divine  virtues  and  hopes  of  rehgion  over  the 
world,  not  merely  without  earthly  motives  but  contrary  to 
all  such  motives  ?     We  think  not.     We  have  proved,  that 


RELIGION  VINDICATED.  ^25 

the  apostles  were  not  themselves  dcceiv'ed,  and  they  did  not 
knowingly  deceive  others.  Therefore  the  conclusion  is  ir- 
resistible, that  they  taught  the  truth,  and  that  "Jesus  is  the 
Son  of  God." 

VII.  Did  Jesus  rise  from  the  dead? — This  question  in- 
volves the  whole  subject  of  the  christian  religion.  If  this 
be  80,  then  the  christian  religion  is  from  heaven.  If  not 
so,  the  whole  is  an  imposition.  Paul  predicates  the  whole 
system  upon  this  point,  '^  If  Christ  be  not  risen,  then  is  our 
preaching  vain.* ^ — 1  Cor.  xv:  14.  Therefore,  all  we  have 
said  is  designed  to  establish  this  fact;  and  although  we 
have  not  touched  the  tenth  of  the  evidence  in  proof  of  rev- 
elation, yet  we  think  we  b^ave  already  adduced  sufficient 
evidence  for  all  unprejudiced  readers.  But  we  wish  to 
convince  the  prejudiced  if  possible.  We  know  of  no  his- 
torick  fact  so  well  sustained  by  indubitable  evidence.  And 
there  is  not  one  that  we  believe  to  be  true^with  more  full, 
clear,  and  entire  conviction  of  mind.  It  seems  to  us,  up- 
on examination,  so  completely  environed  on  every  hand, 
with  such  strong,  full,  and  positive  proof,  that  no  person 
can  avoid  conviction,  who  gives  it  a  full  and  fair  investi- 
gation. 

1.  The  evangelists  and  apostles,  in  different  p'laces  and  at 
difl'erent  times,  repeatedly  declare  that  Jesus  foretold  his 
death  and  resurrection.  That  he  declared  he  must  be 
put  to  death  by  the  chief  priests,  and  would  rise  again  on 
the  third  day,  &c.  And  that  he  refused  to  go  away  as  his 
disciples  advised  him,  when  he  foresaw  the  time  was  at 
hand.  They  also  affirm  tliat  he  instituted,  the  day  before, 
a  memorial  of  the  death  he  was  about  to  suffer.  This  was 
the  bread  and  wine  offered  his  disciples,  ^as  sensible  sym- 
bols of  his  body  and  blood,  accompanied  with  these  remark- 
able words :  "  This  is  my  body  which  is  given  for  you. — 
This  cup  is  the  New  Testament  in  my  blood^\ — Luke  xxii  : 
19,  20. 

Now  if  all  this  is  true,  we  must  believe  Christ  to  have 

28 


32G  RELIGION  VI-NDICATED. 

been  more  than  an  impostor.  But  Christ  did  foretell  his 
resurrection  on  the  third  day,  because  tlie  Jews  on  that 
^  ery  account  placed  a  strong  guard  o( sixty  soldiers  around 
his  sepulchre,  and  rolled  a  great  stone  upon  its  door,  to 
prevent  his  disciplBS  from  stealing  his  body,  and  then  pre- 
tending he  had  risen  as  he  had  foretold.  "Sir,  (said  they 
to  Pilate)  we  remember  that  that  deceiver  said,  while  he  was 
yet  alive,  after  three  days  I  will  rise  again.  Command, 
therefore,  that  the  sepulchre  be  made  sure,  until  the  third 
day,  lest  his  disciples  come  by  night  and  steal  him  away, 
and  say  unto  the  people,  lie  is  risen  from  the  dead ;  so  the 
last  errour  shall  be  worse  than  the  first.  Pilate  saith  unto 
them,  ye  have  a  watch;  go  your  way,  make  it  as  sure  as 
you  can.  So  they  went  and  made  the  sepulchre  sure  (by 
laying  a  great  stone  upon  it,  sealed  with  the  governour's 
seal,  making  it  death  for  the  soldiers  to  suffer  it  to  be  moved,) 
sealing  the  ston*  and  setting  the  watch." 

This  proves  that  Jesus  did  predict  his  resurrection. — 
But  an  unbeliever  will  say,  they  did  not  lay  a  stone  upon 
the  sepulchre,  and  place  a  guard  as  the  New  Testament 
affirms.  We  say,  this  fact  does  not  depend  solely  upon 
the  inspired  historians.  Early  infidel  writers,  and  the  Jews 
themselves,  uniformly  admitted  that  Jesus  promised  his 
disciples  to  rise  on  the  third  day;  and  that,  therefore,  they 
did  roll  a  large  stone  upon  the  door,  and  did  set  a  guard,  so 
that  he  might  not  be  moved  from  the  sepulchre,  unless  he 
made  good  his  promise,  and  actually  rose  from  the  dead. 

If  the  Jews  had  not  taken  this  pains  to  prevent  his  disci- 
ples stealing  away  the  body,  we  should  not  be  so  certain 
that  he  had  promised  to  rise,  nor  that  his  disciples  did.  not 
steal  him  away.  The  evangelists  tell  us  that  the  guard 
went  to  the  chief  priests,  and  told  them  of  the  resurrection 
of  Jesus.  That  they  bribed  the  soldiers  to  tell  that  his 
disciples  stole  him  away  while  they  slept,  and  promised  to 
intercede  v/ith  the  governour  to  secure  them  from  punish 
ment  for  sleeping  on  the  watch. 


i 


RELIOIOI^    VINDICATED.  327 

Justin  Martyr,  about  120  years  afterwards,  says,  "  The 
Synagogue  of  Jerusalem  sent  out  jjersonsin  every  direction, 
to  propagate  a  report  thfft  such  was  the  fact." 

2.  Hence  it  comes  to  be  admitted  on  all  sides,  that  Jesii€i 
did  promise  repeatedly  to  rise  the  third  day.  2.  That  the 
interested  rulers  did  crucify  him.  3.  That  they  did  set 
a  strong  guard  to  prevent  his  body  being  removed  from 
the  sepulchre  by  theft.  And  4.  That  either  he  rose  from 
the  dead,  or  his  disciples  stole  him  away,  and  so  com])lete- 
ly  concealed  his  body  tliat  the  whole  government  and  coun- 
try could  never  find  it. 

Now,  did  the  disciples  steal  it  from  the  tomb?  .  What 
object  had  they  ?  If  he  had  deceived  them  so  that  they 
believed  in  him,  they  would  have  expected  him  to  rise  at 
the  time  without  their  assistance.  If  they  believed  not, 
ihey  would  feel  more  anxious  to  get  away,  and  deny  all 
connexion  with  him,  as  Peter  did.  And  what  could  they 
expect  to  gain,  by  stealing  his  body  and  then  declaring  hia 
resurrection?  Why,  they  could  expect  to  gain  just  such 
treatment  and  death  as  they  had  just  seen  inflicted  upon 
their  leader,  and  nothing  else.  Men  are  not  apt  to  steal 
from  such  motives.  They  are  not  apt  to  steal  for  the  sake 
of  poverty,  disgrace,  and  an  ignominious  death. 

But  the  disciples  were  only  ten  or  twelve  in  number  and 
unarmed  ;  could  they  expect  to  overcome  sixty  soldiers  by 
force?  They  were  poor;  could  they  expect  to  bribe  so 
many  with  money  to  let  them  take  away  the  body,  and  be 
punished  with  death  for  their  neglect  of  duty  ?  Now  then, 
suppose  the  disciples  to  have  been  so  strangely  composed,  as 
to  wish  to  deceive  in  this  thing  without  any  object  whatev- 
er, or  only  to  bring  wretchedness  upon  themselves;  sup- 
pose them  the  most  desperately  bold  of  any  m'en  in  the 
world,  to  have  expected  success  in  such  an  enterprize ;  how 
could  ihey  succeed?  Had  those  few  men,  who  had  al- 
ways before  appeared  so  cowardly,  armed  themselves,  and 
by  a  sudden  blow  destroyed  the  sixty  soldiers,  they  would 


328  RELIGION  VINDICATEP. 

have  frustrated  their  own  plan  ;  for  th.vt  would  have  beea 
good  evidence^  that  they  had  been  there,  and  had  commit- 
ted violence.  But  they  must  not  only  take  the  body  away, 
»nd  have  it  never  seen  again,  but  they  must  do  it  in  such  a 
way  as  to  make  it  appear  that  it  was  risen  from  the  dead. — 
It  was  n)oreover  a  night  of  bright  moonlight,  when  it  must 
h.ave  been  difficult  for  sixty  soldiers  to  have  been  sleeping 
very  sound  together,  over  a  charge  where  their  hves  de- 
pended upon  their  fidelity. 

Now  did  a  little  company  of  pennylrss,  friendless  disci- 
ples go  to  the  sepulchre,  and  remove  the  great  stone  from 
the  door,  and  take  away  the  bod}',  while  all  the  soldiers 
slept?  If  they  were  very  sleepy  they  would  certainlvhave 
kept  up  some  sentinels  to  watch;  and  one  would  doubtless 
have  stood  upon  the  veiy  stone,  which  lay  over  the  door, 
whose  hfe  would  have  been  made  to  answer  for  his  fidelity,, 
while  the  others  slept. 

The  fact  is,  that  such  an  event  could  not  possibly  have 
happened — the  disciples  could  not  possibly  have  stolen  the 
body  under  such  circumstances,  if  they  had  wishetl  to  do 
it  without  a  motive,  unless  God  interposed  to  have  it  so; 
and  if  God  had  an  agency  in  it,  his  interposition  must  Iiave 
been  to  establish  a  truth  and  not  an  imposture.  And  this 
would  be  to  admit  that  his  body  was  moved  by  divine  ag9u- 
cy,  which  is  the  very  thing  contended  for. 

But  suppose  the  sixty  sentinels  had  all  got  sound  asleep, 
and  when  they  awoke,  suppose  they  found  the  stone  rolled 
oft'the  door,  and  the  body  gone,  would  they  know  by  what 
means  all  this  happened  while  they  were  asleep  ?  Certain- 
ly not.  And  when  they  went  to  the  rulers,  the  chief  priests 
and  the  saudhedrim,  would  they  not  have  said,  "we  were 
all  asif  ej>,  and  when  we  awoke,  we  found  the  body  gone, 
and  we  know  not  by  what  means  it  was  taken  away  ?"  Or 
if  they  were  frightened  with  the  fear  of  punishment  for 
getting  to  slee{f,  which  would  be  most  likely,  would  they  not 
have   invented  a  lie,  and  told    them,  that  somebody  carne 


RELIGION  VINDICATED.  329 

and  took  hirn  away  by  force,  or  that  he  did  rise  from  the 
dead  in  spite  of  thetn  ?  They  would  not  have  told  them 
that  they  were  asleep,  lest  they  should  be  punished  for  it ; 
nor  would  they  have  undertaken  to  tell  what  took  place 
when  they  were  professedly  asleep,  about  which  they  could 
know  nothing. 

This  proves  that  the  report  which  the  Jews  sent  abroad, 
that  the  soldiers  said,  his  disciples  stole  him  away  while 
they  slept,  was  invented  by  the  chief  rulers,  and  that  the 
soldiers  never  reported  any  such  thing.  Now,  why  did 
they  invent  and  propagate  this  Zi'e,  if  the  truth  had  been 
what  they  wanted  ?  The  truth  is,  the  soldiers  reported  to 
them,  that  he  rose  from  the  dead,  as  the  evangelists  say 
they  did,  but  the  rulers,  not  believing  it,  hired  them  to  tell 
the  inconsistent  story  that  his  disciples  stole  him  away 
while  they  slept,  and  promised  to  persuade  the  governour 
and  secure  them  from  punishment. 

We  must  suppose  the  soldiers  lo  be  anxious  only  to  es- 
cape punishment,  and  of  course  willing  to  tell  any  story 
that  might  please  the  chief  rulers  and  secure  their  lives. — 
Their  invention  of  this  story  shows  clearly  that  they  could 
not  account  for  the  disappearance  of  the  body.  The  grand 
reason  the  high  priests  and  chief  men  were  not  willing  to 
admit  that  he  had  risen  from  the  dead,  was  that  they  had  a 
great  worldly  interest  in  the  perpetuity  of  those  customs 
and  laws,  which  Christianity  threatened  to  abolish,  This 
induced  them  to  put  him  to  death ;  to  say  he  worked  mira- 
cles by  the  help  of  the  devil,  when  they  could  not  deny 
that  he  did  perform  them  ;  and  to  invent  a  foolish  lie  to  ex- 
plain the  grand  fact  of  his  resurrection.  They  had  still  an- 
other evident  motive  in  dissuading  the  people  from  the  be- 
lief that  he  had  risen  from  from  the  dead  ;  and  that  was  to 
save  their  own  characters  from  the  imputation  of  innocent 
blood.  For  in  proportion  as  people  believed  the  resurrec- 
tion, they  would  believe  those  men  murderers. 

3,  We  might  add.  that  all  the  disciples,  who  declared 

28* 


330  EELIGI05   VilVDICATED, 

the  resurrection,  knew  \rhether  they  had  seen  and  handled 
him,  and  conversed  with  him  or  not.  If  they  did  not  do  it 
they  did  lie.  But  would  ifaey  get  away  the  body  in  spite 
of  sixty  soldiers,  in  such  an  astonishing  manner  that  the 
Jews  could  not  prove  it,  and  then  proclaim  his  resurrection, 
only  as  the  foundation  of  indh,  and  holiness,  and  hope,  to 
men?  These  men  never  attempted  to  build  any  thing 
upon  the  fact  of  the  resurrection  but  truth,  self-denial,  and 
ilu  purest  righteousness.  Did  they  indeed  lie  ?  And  did 
they  lie  only  to  make  people  good — and  all  that  for  no  oth- 
er personal  comforts,  but  stripes,  prisons,  crucifictions,  and 
excruciating  tortures?  Indeed  if  they  were  liars,  they 
must  have  been  such  a  kind  of  hars  as  n&ver  happened  to 
risit  this  world  before  or  since! 

They  must  have  been  an  astonishing  kind  of  men  to 
have  got  away  the  body — to  have  been  all  agreed  to  propa- 
gate a  lie  for  the  sake  of  making  others  good,  and  them- 
selves miserable; — to  have  all  gone  out  into  the  wide  per- 
secuting world,  appearing  to  perform  miracles  without  ev- 
er once  beiYig  detected — to  have  acted  at  all  times  with  the 
promptness,  the  energy,  and  contempt  of  danger  and  death, 
that  men  would  do  who  really  believed  God  with  them— 
that  not  one  of  them  should  overexpose  the  craft,  or  be  dis- 
couraged, or  shrink  from  the  cruel  scenes  every  where  be- 
fore them — that  they  should  actually  decsive  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  Jews  arid  Gentiles  in  their  own  age,  who 
should  manifest  the  purest  feelings  and  most  exalted  vir- 
tues— that  they  should  seem  inspired  with  a  superhuman 
devotion  to  the  cause,  which  disarmed  dungeon  torments 
and  cruel  flames  of  their  terrours,  and  made  them  rejoice  to 
suffer  for  the  sake  of  the  glory  of  a  better  world  J  Oh, 
God  !  were  these  men  impostors  ?  What  mysterions  pow- 
er moved  upon  mankind,  that  such  an  imposture  should 
triumph  against  the  world  in  arms  ? 

4.  Paul  boldly  declared  that  five  hundred  persons  saw 
Jesus  at  one  time  after  his  resurrection  ;  and  that  most  oi 


RELIGION  VINDICATED.  881 

lliem  were  living  to  testify  to  its  truth  then  when  he  wrote. 
— I.  Cor.  XV.  G.  Would  he  have  said  that  if  he  knew  it  to 
be  false?  ^Vould  he  not  have  feared  that  unbehevers 
might  inquire  for  those  five  hundred  or  most  of  them,  that 
they  might  be  examined  on  the  subject,  and  thus  expose 
him  as  an  im})Oi5tor  ? 

Finally,  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  with  all  the  facts  con- 
nected with  the  truth  of  Christianity,  is  sustained  by  more 
positive  and  unquestionable  evidence  than  any  other  event 
which  passed  prior  to  our  existence.  And  only  two  things 
can  be  assigned,  why,  ail  do  not  believe  that  have  any 
knowledge  on  the  subject.  One  is  because  the  miracles 
designed  to  convince  are  so  extraorditnary  and  marvelous  ; 
and  the  other  is  because  Christianity  imposes  an  unwel- 
come restraint  upon  the  vicious  propensities  of  men.       * 

The  last  reason,  however,  is  rather  an  argument  in  favour 
of  the  truth  of  Christianity  ;  and  the  first  is  no  objection. 
For  if  the  miracles  had  not  been  extraordinary,  all  would 
have  imputed  them  to  the  ordinary  powers  of  men,  and 
they  would  not  have  convinced  any.  Even  extraordinary 
as  they  were,  the  early  infidels  knew  of  no  way  to  manage 
them,  but  to  attribute  them  to  some  magick  art,  and  the 
Jews  attributed  them  to  the  devil.  They  could  not  deny 
their  existence.  But  why  should  not  all  that  believe  in  a 
God,  believe  in  a  miracle,  when  well  attested,  as  soon  as 
an  ordinary  thing,  so  long  as  they  do  not  believe  it  too 
great  a  work  for  God  to  perform  ?  All  that  believe  in  a 
God,  therefore,  have  not  a  single  argument  with  which  to 
oppose  the  grand  truth  presented  in  this  number.  But  if 
they  believe  not  in  a  God,  when  all  creation  eternally  pro- 
claims his  existence,  ive  cannot  convince  them.  Could  we 
speak  for  ever  with  a  million  of  tongues,  and  every  word  a 
demonstration,  we  could  never  do  more  than  begin  the  ar- 
gument that  there  is  a  God.  Admit  this  true — and  every 
objection  to  christiany  falls  to  the  ground — if  there  be  a 
God,  Christianity  is  proved  beyond  all   controversy.     If 


332  RKLiaiO.X   VINDICATED. 

there  be  not — then — ah — then — every  thing  is  a  miracle 
indeed  ! !  VVe  boldly  say,  that  atheism  or  deism  embraces 
milhons  of  miracles,  as  often  as  Christianity  recognizes  one. 
To  conclude  in  the  words  of  Saurin,  "  collect  all  these 
proofs  together;  consider  them  in  one  point  of  view,  and 
see  how  many  extravagant  suppositions  must  be  advanced, 
if  the  resurrection  of  our  Saviour  be  denied.  It  must  be 
supposed  that  guards,  who  had  been  particularly  cautioned 
by  their  officers,  sat  down  to  sleep,  and  that,  nevertheless, 
they  deserved  credit  when  they  said  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ 
was  stolen.  It  must  be  supposed  that  men  who  had  been 
imposed  upon  in  the  most  odious  and  cruel  manner  in  the 
world,  hazarded  their  dearest  enjoyments  for  the  glory  of 
ai impostor.  It  must  be  supposed  that  ignorant  and  ilhter- 
ate  men,  who  had  neither  reputation,  fortune  nor  eloquence, 
possessed  the  art  of  fascinating  the  eyes  of  all  the  church. 
It  must  be  supposed,  either  that  five  hundred  persons  were 
all  deprived  of  their  senses  at  a  time,  or  that  they  were  all 
deceived  in  the  plainest  matters  of  facts  ;  or  that  this  mul- 
titude offalse  witnesses  had  found  out  the  secret  of  never 
contradicting  themselves  or  one  another,  and  of  being  al- 
ways upiform  in  their  testimony.  It  must  be  supposed 
that  the  most  expert  courts  of  judicature  could  not  find 
out  n  shadow  of  contradiction  in  a  palpable  imposture.  It 
must  be  supposed  that  the  apostles,  sensible  men  in  other 
cases,  chose  precisely  those  places  and  those  times  which 
were  most  unfavourable  to  their  views.  It  must  be  suppo- 
sed that  millions  madly  suffered  imprisonments,  tortures 
and  crucifixion  to  spread  an  illusion.  It  must  be  supposed 
that  ten  thousand  miracles  were  wrought  in  favour  of  false- 
hood, or  all  these  facts  must  be  denied.  And  then  it  must 
be  supposed  that  the  apostles  were  idiots,  that  the  enemies 
of  Christianity  were  idiots,  and  that  all  the  primitive  chris- 
tians were  idiots." 

VIII.  Evidence  draiim  from  Prophecy. — An  author  de- 
fines prophecy  to  be  "a  miracle  of  knowledge^  a  declara- 


RELIGION   VIIVDICATKD. 


833 


tion,  or  description,  or  representation  of  something  futuiy,  be- 
yond the  power  of  human  sagacity  to  discern  or  to  calculate, 
and  it  is  the  highest  evidence  that  can  he  given  of  supernatur- 
al communiomcith  the  Deity,  and  of  the  truth  of  a  revelaiiMU 
from  God.'' 

Prophecy  is  oilen  better  evidence  to  us  than  any  other 
kind  of  miracles  ;  for  in  many  cases  we  depend  not  on  the 
testimony  of  others  ;  but  we  know  that  things  ^vere  pre- 
dicted, and  we  see  that  they  are  fulfilled  in  our  own  time 
and  before  our  own  eyes;  so  that  we  becon^iC  witPiessc?  of 
tiie  miracles  ourselves.  Some  few  remakable  prophecies 
we  wili  enumerate  out  of  the  uiany  the  Bible  contains, 
which  unanswerably  prove  its  revelation.  We  will  use 
the  words  of  Home: 

1.  "  IshmaeVs  name  and  fortune  were  announced  before 
he  was  born  ;  particularly,  that  his  descendants  shoyld  bo 
very  numerous,  and  that  he  should  beget  twelve  princes. 
The  whole  came  to  pass  precisely  as  it  was  foretold. — 
Compare  Gen.  xvi.  10 — 13.  xvii.  20.  and  xxv.  1*2 — 18.  / 
tmll  make  him  a  great  nation,  said  Jehovah  to  Abraham, 
(Gen.  XVII.  20,)  and  this  prediction  was  accomplished  as 
soon  as  it  could  be  in  the  regular  course  of  nature.  From 
Ishmael  proceeded  the  various  tribes  of  Arabs  (alsocall«d 
.Saracens,  by  christian  writers,)  who  anciently  were,  and 
still  continue  to  be  a  very  powerful  people.  They  might, 
indeed,  be  emphatically  styled  a  great  nation,  when  the 
Saracens  made  their  rapid  and  extensive  conquests  during 
the  middle  ages,  and  erected  one  of  the  largest  empires 
that  ever  were  in  the  world.  J{e  icill  he  a  icild  man  [Greu. 
XVI.  12.)  literally  a  wild  ass-man,  that  is,  as  wild  as  a  wild 
ass  :  and  the  account  of  that  animal,  in  Job  xxxix.  5 — 8, 
affords  the  best  possible  description  of  the  wandering,  law- 
less, and  freebooting  lives  and  manners  of  the  Arabs. — 
rVho  hath  sent  out  the  wild  ass  free  1  or  who  hath  loosed  the. 
hands  of  the  wild  ass  1  Whose  house  I  haveUnads  the\  wil- 
dcrness,  and  the  barren  land  his  dwellings.     He  scormtk  tkQ 


»i34  tlgllGlO.N   Vl-VDiCATED. 

multitude  of  the  city  neither  regardeth  he  the  crying  of  the 
driver.  The  range  of  the  mountains  is  his  pasture,  and  he 
searcheth  after  every  ^tten  thing.  God  himself  has  sent 
them  out  free,  and  has  loosed  them  from  all  political  restraint. 
The  same  icilder7iess,  in  which  their  ancestor,  Ishmael, 
dwelt  more  ihan  three  thousaud  seven  hundred  years  ago, 
is  still  their  habitation,  and  in  the  barren  land,  where  no 
other  human  beings  could  live,  they  have  their  dwellings. 
'iliey  scorn  the  city,  and  therefore  have  no  fixed  habitation. 
For  their  multitude,  they  are  not  afraid.  When  they  n)ake 
depredations  on  cities,  towns,  of  caravans,  they  retire  into 
the  desert  with  such  precipitancy,  that  all  pursuit  is  elu- 
ded ;  and  in  this  respect,  the  crying  of  the  driver  is  disre- 
garded. They  may  be  said  to  have  no  lands  and  yet  the 
V'dttge  of  the  mountains  is  their  pasture;  they  pitch  their 
tents  and  feed  their  flocks  wherever  they  please  ;  and  they 
search  after  every  green  thing,  are  continually  looking  after 
\:rey,  and  seize  every  kind  of  property  that  comes  in  their 
way.  It  was  further  foretold  that  Ishmael's  hand  should 
he  against  every  man,  and  every  man's  hand  against  hiin. — 
J^osostris,  Cyrus,  Pompey,  Trajan,  and  other  ancient  sov- 
ereigns and  potentates,  vainly  attempted  to  subjugate  the 
wandering  Arabs:  though  they  had  temporary  triumphs 
over  some  tribes,  they  were  ultimately  unsuccessful.  From 
the  commencement  of  the  Ishmaelites  to  the  present  day, 
they  have  maintained  their  independency:  and  if  there 
were  no  other  argument  to  evince  the  divine  origin  of  the 
Pentateuch,  the  account  of  Ishmael  and  the  prophecy  con- 
cerning his  descendants,  collated  with  their  history  and 
manner  of  life  during  a  period  of  nearly  four  thousand 
years,  would  be  sufficient :  it  may  indeed,  be  pronounced 
absolutely  demonstrative." 

Again  the  same  profound  author  says, 
2.  "The  twenty-eighth  chapter  of  the  book  ofDeuieron 
omy  contains  a  series  of  most  striking  predictions  relative 
to  the  Jews,  which  nre  fulfilling  to  this  very  day.     Bishop 


RF.LIGION  VINDICATED.  336 

Newtou  And  Dr.  Graves  have  shown  its  accomplishment  at 
great  length.     Some    of  its  leading  features  only  can    be 
here  noticed.     The  great  lawgiver   of  the   Jews   foretold 
that  they  should  be  removed   into  all  the  kingdoms  of  the 
earth, — scattered  among  all  people,  from  one  end  of  the 
earth,  even  unto  the  other,— find  no  ease  or  rest, — be  oppress- 
ed and  crushed  always — be  left  few  in  number  among  the 
heathen, — pine  aivay  in  their  iniquity  in  their  enemies^  land, 
— and  become  an  astonishment,  a  proverb,  and  a  bye-word  un- 
to all  nations.     These    predictions    were    literally   fulfilled 
during  their  subjection  to  the  Chaldeans  and  Romans  ;  and, 
in  latter  times,  in  all  nations  where  they  have  been  dispers- 
ed.    Moses  foretold  that  their  enemies  would  besiege  and 
and  take  their  cities;  and  this  prophecy  was  fulfilled    by 
Shishak  king  of  Egypt,  Shalmaneser  king  of  Assyria,  Neb- 
uchadnezzar, xintiochus,  Epiphanes,   Sosius  and    Herod, 
and  finally  by  Titus.     Moses  foretold    that  such  grievous 
famines  should  prevail  during  those  seiges,  that  they  should 
eat  the  flesh  of  their  sons  and  daughters.     This  prediction 
was  fulfilled  about  six   hundred   years   after  the   time    of 
Moses,  among  the  Israelites,   when  Samaria  was  besieged 
by  the  king  of  Syria;  again,  about  nine  hundred  years  af- 
ter Moses,  among  the  Jews,  during  the  siege  of  Jerusalem 
before  the  Babylonish  captivity ;  and  finally,   fifteen  hun- 
dred years  after  this  time,  during  the  seige    of  Jerusalem 
by  the  Romans.     Though  the  Hebrews  were  to  be  as  the 
stars  of  heaven  for  multitude,   Moses   predicted    that  they 
should  be  few  in  number,  and  his  prophecy  was  fulfilled  : 
for,  in  the  last  seige  of  Jerusalem,  Josephus  tells  us  that  an 
infiinite  multitude   perished  by  famine ;  and  he  computes 
the  total  number  who  perished  by  it  and  by  the  war  in  Je- 
rusalem, and  other  parts  of  Judea,  at  one  milhon  two  hun- 
dred and  forty  thousand  four  hundred  and  ninety,  besides 
ninety-nine  thousand  two  hundred  who  were  made  prison- 
ers, and  sold  unto  their  enemies  for  bondmen  and  bondwomen: 
and,  after  their  last  overthrow  by  Hadrian,  many  thousands 


336  RKL!G!0>'  VINDICATED. 

of  them  were  sold ;  and  those,  for  whom  purchasers  could 
uot  be  found  (Moses  had  foretold  that  7io  man  should  buy 
them)  were  transported  into  Egypt,  where  they  perished 
by  shipwreck  orfaaiiue,  or  wore  massacreed  by  the  inhab- 
itants. Since  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  they  have  been 
scattered  among  all  nations,  among  whom  they  have  found 
no  ease,  nor  have  the  soles  of  their  feet  had  rest;  they  have 
been  oppressed  and  spoiled  evermore,  especially  in  the  east, 
where  the  tyranny  exercised  over  them  is  so  severe,  as  to 
afibrd  a  literal  fulfilment  of  the  prediction  of  Moses,  that 
thy  life  shall  hang  in  doubt  before  thee,  and  thou  shall  fear, 
day  and  night,  and  shall  h4.vk  none  assurance  of  thy  life. 
Deut.  XXVIII :  06.  Yet,  notwithstanding  all  their  oppres- 
sions, they  have  still  continued  a  separate  people,  without 
incorporating  with  the  natives  ;  and  they  have  become  an  as- 
tonishment and  a  bye-word  among  all  the  nations,  whither 
they  have  been  carried,  since  their  punishment  has  been 
inflicted.  The  very  name  of  a  Jew  has  been  used  as  a 
term  of  peculiar  reproach  and  infamy.  Finally,  it  was 
foretold  that  their  plagues  should  be  wonderful,  even  great 
plagues,  and  of  long  continuance.  And  have  not  their 
plagues  continued  more  than  seven  hundred  years?  In 
comparison  of  them,  their  former  captivities  were  very 
short :  during  their  captivity  in  Chaldea,  Ezekial  and  Dan- 
iel prophesied  ;  but  now  they  have  no  true  prophet  to  fore- 
tel  the  end  of  their  calamities.  What  nation  has  suffered 
so  much,  and  yet  endured  so  long?  What  nation  has  sub- 
sisted as  a  distinct  people  in  their  own  country,  so  long  as 
the  Jews  have  done,  in  their  dispersion  into  all  countries? 
And  what  a  standing  miracle  is  thus  exhibited  to  the  world\ 
in  the  fulfillment,  at  this  very  time,  of  prophecies  delivered 
considerably  more  than  three  thousand  years  ago !  WTiat 
a  permanent  attestation  is  it  to  the  divine  legation  of 
Moses!" 

We  cannot  go  into  all  the  numerous  prophecies  relative 
to  the  Hebrews  with  which  all  the  prophets  of  the  old  tes- 


RKLItflON    VliNDFCATKD.  337 

tamciit  Libouiid.  but  will  give  oae   more  extract  that  refers 
to  Zetlekiah. 

"  But  tliat  whicJi  seemed  ]no«t   strange,    and  was  most 
objected  against,  iu  the    Prophecies  of  Jeremiah,  was  his 
prediction  concerning  the  dealli  ofZedekiah;  in  which  he 
and  Ezekiel  were  tliougbtto  contradict  each  other.     Jere- 
miah prophesied  in  Jerusalem,  at  the  same  time  when  P]ze- 
kiel    prophesied   in    Babylon,   and    concerning  the  same 
things ;  and  Jeremiah's  prophecy  was  sent  to  the  captives 
in  Babylon,  aad  Ezekiel's  to  the  inhabibants  of  Jerusalem. 
Now  these  two  prophets  writing  of  the  captivity  of  Zede- 
kiah,  enumerate  all  the  circumstances  of  it  between  them, 
in  such  a  manner  that  they  were  believed  to  contradict  each 
other;  and  thus  tJie  expectation   and  attention  of  the  peo- 
ple was  the  more  excited  to  observe  the  fulfilment  of  their 
prophecies.     (Compare  Jer.   xxxvi.  2 — 7,  and  Ezek.  xii. 
14.)     Jeremiah  said  that  he  should  see  the  king  ofBabylon, 
and  be  carried  to  Babylon  ;  Ezekiel,  that  he  should  not  see 
Babylon;  Jeremiah,  that  he  should   die  in   peace,  and  be 
buried  after  the  manner  of  bis  ancestors  :  Ezekiel  that  he 
should  die  at  Babylon.     And  if  we  compare  all  this  with 
the  history,  nothing  ever  was   move  punctually  fulfilled  ; 
for  Zedekiah  saw  the  king  of  Babylon,   who  commanded 
his  eyes  to  be  put  out,  before  he  was  brought  tro  Babylon ; 
and  he  died  there,  but  died  peaceably,  and  was  suffered  to 
have  the  usual  funeral  solemnities.     (Jer.  xxxix.  4,  7. — 
II.  Kings  XXV.  G,  7.)     Therefore  both  prophecies  proved 
true  in  the  event,  which  before  seemed  to  be  inconsistent. 
And  so  critical  an  exactness  io  every  minute  circumstance, 
in  prophecdes  delivered  by  two  persons,  who  were  before 
thought  to  contradict  each  other,  was  such  a  conviction  to 
the  Jews,  after  they  had  seeii  them  so  punctually  fulfilled, 
in  their  captivity,  that  they  could  no  longer  doubt  but  that 
both  were  fromOod." 

Again  the  same  author  says  of  Tyre. 

2d 


338  RELIGION   Vli^DICATKI). 

"  Tyre  was  one  of  the  raost  flourishing  and  opulent  cities 
of  ancient  times.     The   inhabitants   because   very  wicked 
and    abandoned  ;  and    the    Hebrew    propliets   were   com 
manded  to  foretel  its  ruin.     At  the  time  their  predictions 
were  uttered,  the  city  was  extremely  prosperous,  success- 
ful in  commerce,   and  ahoundin^^   in   riches   and  glory. — 
These  predictions  were    extremely   minute  and   circum- 
stantial ;  and  announced  that  the   city  was  to  be  taken 
and  destroyed  by  the  Chaldeans,   (who,   at  the  time  of 
the    delivery   of   the   prophecy,    were    an    inconsiderable 
people,)    and    particularly    by    Nebuchadnezzar,    king    of 
Babylon  ;  that  the  inhabitants  should  flee  over  the  Med- 
iterranean into  the   adjacent  islands   and   countries,  and 
even  there  should   not  find  a  quiet  settlement;  that   th« 
city  should  be  restored   after  seventy  years,    and   return 
to  her  gain  and  merchandize ;  that   it   should   be    taken 
and  destroyed  a   second  time;  that  the  people  should,  in 
time,  forsake  their  idolatry,    and   become  converts  to  the 
worship  and  true  religion  of  God  ;  and  finally,  that  the  city 
should  be  totally  destroyed  and  become  a  place  only  for 
fishers  to  spread  their  nets  upon.     All  these  predictions 
were  finally  fulfilled:  for  want  of  room,  we  are  compelled 
to  notice  here  only  those  predictions  which  denounce  its 
utter  destruction.     They  will  be  found  in  Ezekiel  xxvi. 
3—5,  14,  19,  21. 

"These  various  predictions  received  their  accomplish- 
ment by  degrees.  Nebuchadnezzar  destroyed  the  old  city ; 
and  Alexander  the  Great  employed  its  ruins  and  rubbish  in 
making  ?.  causeway  from  the  continent  to  the  island  where- 
on it  had  been  erected,  both  of  which  were  henceforth 
joined  together.  "  It  is  no  wonder  therefore,"  as  a  learned 
traveller  has  remarked,  "  that  there  are  no  signs  of  the  an- 
cient city  ;  and  as  it  is  a  sandy  shore,  the  face  of  every  thing 
is  altered,  and  the  great  aqueduct  in  many  parts  is  almost 
buried  in  the  sand."     So  that,  as  to   this  part  of  the  city, 


RELIGION   Vl.XDlCATED.  H89 

the  prophecy  has  literally  been  fuKiiled.  "TIiou  tshalt  be 
t)uiit  no  more:  though  thou  be  sought  for,  yet  shalt  thou 
iievL-r  be  found  again."  It  may  be  questioneil  whether 
the  new  city  ever  arose  to  that  height  of  power,  wealth, 
and  greatness,  to  which  it  was  elevated  in  the  times  of  Isai- 
ah and  Ezekiel.  It  received  a  great  blow  from  Alexander, 
not  only  by  his  taking  and  burning  the  city,  but  much 
more  by  his  building  of  Alexandria  in  Egypt,  which  in  time 
deprived  it  of  much  of  its  trade,  and  thus  contributed  more 
eflectually  to  its  ruin.  It  had  the  misfortune  afterwards  of 
changing  its  masters  often,  being  sometimes  in  the  hands 
of  the  Ptolemies,  kings  of  Egypt,  and  some  times  of  the 
Selcucidfp,  kings  of  Syria,  till  at  length  it  fell  under  the  do- 
nlinion  of  the  Romans.  It  was  taken  by  the  Saracen* 
about  tlie  year  of  Christ  639,  in  the  reign  of  Omar  their 
third  emperor.  It  was  retaken  by  the  christians  during 
the  time  of  the  holy  war  in  the  year  1121,  by  Baldwin,  tho 
second  of  that  name,  being  then  king  of  Jerusalem,  and 
assisted  by  a  fleet  of  the  Venetians.  From  the  christiaos 
it  was  taken  again,  in  the  year  1289,  by  the  Mamelukes  of 
Egypt,  under  their  Sultal  Alphix,  who  sacked  and  razed 
this  and  Sidon  and  other  strong  tov.'us,  in  order  that  they 
might  never  afford  any  harbour  or  shelter  to  the  christians. 
From  the  Mamelukes  it  was  again  taken  in  the  year  1516, 
by  Selim,  the  ninth  emperor  of  the  Turks ;  and  under  their 
dominion  it  continues  at  present.  Cut  alas,  how  fallen, 
how  changed  fiom  what  it  was  formerly  !  For,  from  be- 
ing tho  centre  of  trade,  frequented  by  all  the  merchant 
ships  of  the  east  and  west,  it  is  now  become  a  heap  of 
ruins,  visited  only  by  the  boats  of  a  few  poor  fishermen.—- 
So  that  as  to  this  part  likewise  of  the  city,  the  prophecy 
has  literally  been  fulfilled.  /  tvill  mahe  thee  like  the  top  of 
a  rock  ;  thou,  shalt  he  a  place  to  spread  nets  upon."' 

Of  Egypt  he  says, 

'*  ^^SyP^  ^^as  one  of  the  most  ancient  and  powerful  king- 


340  RKLIGIO.N   VINDKATl.1^. 

dolus  iu  former  ages  :  and  at  one  period  is  said  to  have 
contained  eighteen  thousand  cities  and  seventeen  millions 
of  inhabitants.  The  revolutions  and  state  of  this  king- 
dom were  minutely  described  by  the  prophets  Isaiah,  Jer- 
emiah, and  Ezekiel.  [For  the  most  striking  of  those  de- 
nunciations, we  refer  our  readers  to  Ezekiel,  xxix,  15,  16. 
XXX.  6,  12,  13.]  It  is  now  upwards  of  two  thousand  four 
hundred  years  since  this  prophecy  was.  delivered  :  and 
what  hkehhood  or  apj)earance  was  there,  that  so  great  a 
kingdom,  so  rich  and  fertile  a  country,  should  for  so  many 
ages  bow  under  a  foreign  yoke,  and  never  during  that  long 
period  be  able  to  recover  its  liberties,  and  have  a  prince  ot 
its  own  to  reign  over  them  ?  But  as  is  the  prophecy  so  is 
the  event.  For,  not  long  afterwards,  Egypt  was  succe?*- 
sively  attacked  and  conquered  by  the  Babylonians  and 
Persians :  on  the  subversion  of  the  Persian  empire  by  Al- 
exander, it  became  subject  tc  the  Macedonians,  then  to 
the  Romans,  and  after  them  to  the  Saracens,  then  to  the 
Mamelukes,  and  is  now  a  province  of  the  Turkish  empire  : 
and  the  general  character  of  its  inhabitants  is  a  corapoimd 
of  baseness,  treachery,  covetousness,  and  malice.  Syene 
is  in  ruins  ;  and  the  idols  of  Egypt  are  scattered.  And  all 
modern  travellers  attest  that  the  numerous  canals  with 
which  this  country  was  anciently  intersected,  are  (with  th© 
exception  of  a  few  in  Lower  Egypt)  now  neglected.  Th« 
consequence  is,  that  a  very  large  proportion  of  the  country 
is  abandoned  to  sand  and  to  unfruitfulncss,  while  the  e/fect 
is  a  fulfilment  of  the  threatening,  /  will  7n(ik€  her  rivtrs 
dry.  The  annual  su})ply  of  cmiching  anil  fertilizing  water, 
being  now  lost  to  an  immense  tract  of  country  on  both 
sides  of  the  Nile,  sand,  the  natural  soil,  prevails:  vegeta- 
tion, which  once  bound  together  the  earth  by  the  roots 
and  fibres  of  grass,  is  burnt  up.  And  what  was  once  ;i 
fruitful  field,  has  become  desolate,  overwhehucrl  by  flying: 
blasts  of  sand,  and  consiijned  to  ages  of  solitude." 


RELIGION   VINDICATED.  341 

IX.  Inspiration  of  the  Scriptures. — No  doubt  many  vague 
nnd  indistinct  ideas  obtain  with  regard  to  the  true  import 
and  extent  of  the  inspiration  o{  the  Scriptures.  The  Bible 
is  proper:y  called  the  word  of  God,  the  revelation  of  heav- 
en, the  inspiration  of  God,  &c.  From  this  phraseology 
many  have  inferred  that  christians  suppose  the  writers  of 
the  Bible  to  have  been  as  passive  in  that  writing  as  wooden 
machines — that  they  were  passively  moved  on  by  the  Holy 
Ghost  to  the  use  of  every  word  -and  the  formation  of  every 
letter.  That  the  writers  used  no  human  knowledge  or 
agency,,  but  took  their  pens  in  hand,  and  suffered  them 
to  be  moved  entirely  by  the  invisible  power  of  God. — 
We  believe  no  such  thing  ;  and  we  think  enlightened  chris- 
tians generally  do  not.  No  such  a  revelation  was  neces- 
sary ;  but  it  was  only  necessary  that  the  writers  should 
have  extraordinary  powers  where  their  ordinary  qualifica- 
tions were  deficient  or  inadequate  to  the  work  assigned 
them.  They  had  a  competent  knowledge  of  the  language 
they  used,  therefore  they  needed  [no  inspiration  on  this 
point.  Hence  we  are  not  to  suppose  the  phraseology  or 
rhetoricU,  or  style  of  the  Bible  any  more  inspired  than 
other  book!^-. 

Agreeably  to  this  idea  we  discover  as  many  different 
styles  of  composition  as  there  were  different  writers.  Each 
evidently  used  a  style  peculiar  to  himself. 

2.  They  obtained  much  knowledge  of  facts  by  ordinary 
means,  and  it  was  unnecessary  that  they  should  be  inspued 
with  such  knowledge  as  they  possessed  without  extraordi- 
nary inspiration.  Hence  they  relate  many  incidents  both 
in  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  Avhich  they  learned  by  the 
ordinary  senses,  which  they  had  seen  and  heard  ;  and  not 
unfrequently,  they  speak  of  things,  customs,  and  circum- 
stances, which  were  known  as  matters  of  general  and  un- 
disputed notoriety.  Moses  tells  us  that  the  waters  of  the 
red  sea  opened  to  let  the  Hebrews  pass,  but  he  knew  this 
fact  without  any  extraordinary   inspiration.     The  Evange- 


842  KKLIGIO.N   VI>*DICAT£0. 

lists  tell  us  what  they  saw  and  heard,  \:c.  And  so"  we 
may  say  of  all  the  writers,  when  they  recorded  facts  which 
they  knew  by  ordinary  means,  they  depended  not  on  extra- 
ordinary inspiration  for  their  knowledge.  The  apostles 
were  enabled  to  work  miracles,  when  miracles  were  neces- 
sary to  accomplish  the  divine  pii.rposes,  but  we  should  not 
conclude  from  thence  that  they  walked  abont,  eat,  drank, 
&c.  miraculously.  From  these  remarks  it  will  be  per- 
ceived, that  we  conclude  the  writers  used  their  own  lan- 
guage and  style  in  all  case*? :  that  ihey  recorded  facts,  learn- 
ed by  the  ordinary  means,  whenever  such  means  of  informa- 
tion were  adequate  to  the  grand  object  of  the  revelation. 

This  accounts  for  the   fact   that   diflerent  writers  relate 
the  same  event  with  different  phraseology,  and  particulari- 
ty.    This  little  variety,  while  it  forbids  the  idea  of  concert 
or  combination,  demonstrates  that  the  facts  were  so  obvious, 
that  the  dilTerent  writers  saw  and  knew  them  in  their  own 
persons.     So  far  from  being  any  disparagement  to  the  re- 
cords, it  proves  clearly  that  each  recorded  such  facts  as 
most  forcibly  impressed  his  senses,  or  most  powerfully  at- 
tracted his  notice,  without  any  consultation  or  connivance 
with  the  others.     What  we  have  here  said  for  the  non-in- 
spiration of  the  Scriptures,  will  account  for  all  tlie  diversi- 
ty of  style,  all  the  variety  of  figures,  all  the    ambiguity  of 
expression,  all  the  trifling  and  unimportant  discrepancies 
in  the  relation  of  substantial  facts,  and  all  such  phraseol- 
ogies as  offend  the  delicacy  of  a   refined  and  improved 
taste.     Now  we  will  tell  what  we  conceive  to  be  the   true 
inspiration  of  the   Bible.     1.  The  writers  were  inspired 
with  an  unyielding  integrity    of  heart,  or   a  disposition  to 
tell  the  truth  only.     2.  They   were   inspired   with  all  the 
knowledge  necessary  to  the  revelation,   which  they  could 
not  acquire  by  ordinary  means.     For  instance,  those  men, 
who  saw  Jesus  Christ  on  earth  ;  who  saw  his  miracles 
performed,  who  saw  him  crucified,  who  saw  him  after  his 
resurrection,  and  heard  his  instructions  from  his  lip?,  would 


KEL1GI05   VlWDlfA'fEiJ.  S43 

need  110  Other  iiis])iiaiion  to  make  a  I'aithl'iil  recortl  of  all 
these  things,  that  should  be  substantially  true,  than  merely 
a  (iispo-sition  to  record  the  triuh  only.  But  when  they  are 
to  ifecord  a  niorjvl  or  doctrinal  princi-jjle  or  a  prediction,  not 
to  be  known  by  ordinary  means,  and  not  heard  fcom  Jesus 
liiiuself,  they  must  be  inspired  by  ths  Holy  Spirit  with  the 
knowledge  ol"  such  truth.  We  amy  say  then  that  the 
Scriptures  were  written  by  men  irj  human  language,  who 
were  inspiretl  to  write  the  truth,  and  so  guided  by  the  spirit 
of  God  as  to  make  the  book,  substantially  true  in  all  its  doc- 
trinal and  moral  featuied,  all  its  splendid  mir:icles,  all  it* 
predictions,  ail  its  historical  relations,  :ind  every  thing  that 
is  essential  to  the  substantial  perfection  of  the  whole. 

Although  we  suppose  much  of  the  Scriptures  to  consist 
of  well  authenticated  facts  which  the  writers  knew  bv  or- 
dinary and  natural  means,  yet  God  miyaculons^ly  made 
known  to  ihem,  whatever  was  necessary  to  make  the  whole 
perfect  in  all  essential  matters  of  doctrine  and:  fact.  So 
clearly  is  their  divine  inspiration,  so  far  as  this,  established, 
that  were  we  to  go  to  the  evidence  on  both  sides,  examine 
every  argument  that  has  ever  been  addaced  by  its  oppo- 
nents, and  every  argument  in  its  favour,  \*e  should  find  an 
irresistible  and  overwhelming  balance  to  preponderate  in 
its  support.  It  is  not  necessary,  as  some  philosophers  liav« 
insinuated  and  their  dupes  have  believed,  for  us  to  reject 
philosophy  in  order  to  be  christians.  No>  we  could  never 
believe  on  such  terms.  True  philosophy  and  sound  rea- 
son will  coalesce  in  every  particular  with  every  principle  of 
the  Bible  and  every  particle  of  Christianity.  We  iTiay  not 
see  the  reason  of  some  things  revealeil  ;  but  is  it  not  a  fact 
that  all  human  reason  is  imperfect?  Were  it  not  so,  a  re- 
velation would  not  have  been  necessary.  Whatever  in  re- 
velation reason  cannot  clearly  explain  is  not  contrary  to  rea- 
son but  above  it.  Christianity  is  reasonable,  but  it  requires 
the  reason  of  God  to  perceive  the  reason  of  the  whole  of 
it.     However,   the   more   perfect   our  reason   becomes  by 


344  RELIGION    VI.NURATKD. 

cultivation,  !h«  more  of  the  reasoa  of  revelation  we  can 
perceive,  and  no  human  reason  can  confute  it.  Men  have 
attempted  to  array  philosophy  against  the  Bible  in  every 
yge,  but  every  argument  has  been  fairly  met  over  and  over 
again.  So  that  on  the  whole  they  have  been  an  advantage 
to  the  Bible,  by  provoking  investigation,  and  causing  to  be 
brought  forward  thousands  of  important  trutlis  and  facts, 
which  will  demonstrate  the  genuineness,  authenticity,  and 
authority  of  tJie  Bible  to  the  latest  posterity;  and  which 
otherwise  might  have  been  lost  in  the  revolutions  of  time. 

In  the  second  century,  Celsus,  a  learned  philosopher, 
wrote  against  Christianity,  when  all  the  scenes  of  it  had  but 
recently  occurred,  and  the  whole  subject  was  perfectly  ac- 
cessible. So  did  Porphyri)  and  Hierocles  of  the  third  cen- 
tury, and  Julian  of  the  fourth,  but  so  far  from  militating 
against  Christianity,  their  writings  go  directly  to  establish 
facts  which  prove  its  authenticity.  Their  arguments  were 
confuted  by  the  early  christians.  Late  philosophers  have 
uiade  the  same  attempt  but  witijout  any  eti'ect  except  upon 
those  who  read  only  their  side  of  the  question,  and  of  course 
close  their  eyes  upon  facts  of  inconceivable  moment. 

A  work  designed  to  overthrow  the  Bible  most  in  circu- 
lation in  our  country,  is  Thomas  Paine's  Age  of  lleasou. 
Although  the  author  is  deservedly  popular  as  a  political 
writer,  he  is  certainly  guilty  of  the  most  puny  and  con- 
temptible work  against  the  Bible,  of  any  that  has  come 
to  our  knowledge.  Although  jiis  arguments  had  been 
used  and  contented  many  times  before  he  existed,  and  have 
been  thoroughly  answered  since,  yet  this  book  seems  to 
possess  astonishing  charms  for  thousands  of  young  men, 
who  never  perhaps  read  the  whole  Bible  in  their  lives,  and 
who  never  read  any  full  and  reputed  defence  of  it.  Are 
they  ready  to  make  up  their  judgement  upon  a  partial  ex- 
amination of  one  side  only  ?  If  so,  let  us  tell  them  to  turn  ' 
round  and  look  oo  the  other  side,  till  they  give  the  subject 
in  all  its  bearings  as  clo^e  an  examination  as  did  thos«  cool. 


UELItJiON    VI.\DICATK1». 


34r> 


ncuie,  uccuiate,  and  lucid  invesligators,  Lockt  and  \twton. 
How  preposterous  for  our  young  upstarts  in  philosophy, 
and  a  multitude  of  wonderful  "  smart  felloivs''  through  our 
country,  who  are  totally  ignorant  l)oth  of  the  Scriptures  and 
their  evidence,  to  assume  to  assisil  the  revelation  of  Heaven, 
and  to  cavil  about  things  above  their  own  limited  compre- 
hension. 

Let  true  philosophy,  chastened  and  humbled  &j  retlec- 
tion,  come  to  the  investigation,  and  the  Scriptures  have 
nothing  to  fear  from  the  result.  There  are  t\ro  general 
causes  of  infidelity,  one  is  an  unwillingness  to  believe,  and 
til*'  other  is  a  neglect  to  examine  the  arguments  thorough- 
ly on  both  sides.  And  if  we  should  succeed  in  these  num- 
bers in  inducing  some  to  peruse  some  of  the  abk?  and  cor- 
rect authors,  that  have  written  in  defence  of  the  Bible,  it  is 
all  we  expect. 

THE  END. 


ERRATA 

Some  small  literary  errours  have  passed  the  press,  the  niutl  im- 
portant of  which  the  reader  is  requested  to  correct,  thus: 

Pago    49,  17th  line  from  bottom,  lor  if  the  gosjtcl  is  ccer,  rend,  i/lhi' 

gospel  he  ever. 
•'      &2,  iOth  line  from  bottom,  for  orthodoxy,  read,  orthodox. 
'•    KVA,  15th  line  from  bottom,  for  bdiecc,  read  bclirf. 
•'    183,  IGtIi  liuo  from  bottom,  forte  ho  should,  read,  tcho  shall. 
••    21"2,  5th  line  from  bottom,  for  is  tho  licatrns.  rend,  arc  the 

/icnrens. 
"    214,  loth  line  from  top  omit  the  vfoxdhave. 
•    ;i04.  3d  line  from  bottom,  for  sitjjlcicncy,  read,  inefficiency . 


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